Interlude
by sarramaks
Summary: Set straight after the fall of the barrier in ROtG and fills in what might have happened before Daine and Numair reach Port Legann. Some DN nearlyfluff. My first fanfic! Please review! COMPLETE EPILOGUE NOW UP
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of the wonderful Tamora Pierce. I'm merely playing with them.

This begins at the end of EM. Chapter 1 starts after the prologue in ROtG.

Enjoy!

Prologue

_Carthak, shortly before Daine's departure._

"Here, laddybuck," Alanna told Numair. "You come with me."

The tall mage sighed but didn't argue. The champion led him back into the house.

Alanna took him into a small sitting room. She sat down on a comfortable looking padded chair and watched the mage walk slowly around the room.

"Kaddar is not going to drag Daine into bed!" she informed him dryly. "For one, you have well and truly warned him off. Two, I don't think those were his intentions anyway and three, I very much doubt that Daine would let him!"

Numair's face remained with the same stony expression although his eyes reflected the confusion taking place in his mind.

"How can you say that Kaddar doesn't have any intentions to seduce Daine?" Numair's voice rose, "Have you noticed how beautiful she looks?" he stuttered and sat down on the nearest chair.

Alanna looked at him. She hadn't seen Numair quite like this before; it was usually the ladies who were crossed in love with him and not the other way round. However, Alanna knew better than to suggest that he was in love with his student. He would simply become indignant that she thought his intentions towards Daine were less than pure. She paused before speaking, considering her words carefully, which was quite a rare thing for Alanna to do.

"It seems, Numair," she began, "That you have noticed how pretty Daine is, even if Kaddar has not."

Numair turned slightly red and looked away from Alanna.

"I've heard you tell her several times how beautiful she looked; and those comments weren't made to just be kind. There's nothing wrong with what you're feeling, just admit it to yourself!" Alanna finally lost her patience.

Numair looked at his old friend and sighed. He didn't quite know what to say. He knew that what he felt for Daine was changing, she wasn't just his student anymore and he saw her as being more than just a friend.

"This trip to Carthak," he began quietly, "Has highlighted certain things."

Alanna waited to hear what he said next. After a couple of minutes of silence she realised he would need more prompting.

"And did Varice also help to highlight certain things?" she inquired in a pointed tone. She had not like Varice Kingsford at all.

"I have no feelings left for Varice," Numair replied, "She came to my room to try and resurrect something that I now doubt was there in the first place. It didn't go very far Alanna. She didn't stay the night." Numair spoke slowly and somewhat wearily. Alanna decided to put him out of his misery.

"Daine found Varice's handkerchief in you room. I don't think she liked it very much."

Numair looked up at her suddenly. "Varice isn't Daine's sort of person, she would have been disappointed in me, that I'd been taken by someone like that."

Alanna shook her head, "No, Numair. Daine often looked cross when Varice tried to monopolize you. I think Daine was jealous."

Numair looked half-hopeful, "I'm sure Daine was too occupied with Kaddar to notice Varice trying to segregate me from everyone else."

Alannasighed, "When I looked at Daine she was quite often looking towards you. She did look irritated at Varice though," Alanna chuckled. Numair smiled, still managing to look worried.

"Is it wrong, though, Alanna?" he began to ask, "To think of her as more than my student?"

"I don't think so," Alanna shook her head, "Give her time, Numair, and don't go rushing her."

Numair looked Alanna straight in the eye. "I won't rush her into anything. I don't want to make her believe that she feels something that she doesn't. Besides, its probably just a crush I have," he laughed, mocking himself.

Alanna didn't join in the laugh. "Numair," she said quietly, "She's just destroyed half of Carthak's capital because she though you were dead! When you touch her, however innocently, she practically purrs like a cat. I don't think you would have to make her feel things for you."

Numair looked slightly happier. "Has anyone else noticed?"

"Well, Ozorne certainly did!" Alanna laughed. "He knew you would remain here to look for her. Why did you have to react when he accused you of sleeping with Daine? You usually just laugh it off."

Numair looked guilty. "Probably because it was Ozorne. He touched a nerve. I had begun to think of her that way." He was now completely scarlet with embarrassment. "He knew I warned off Kaddar as well."

Alanna sighed, looking at her old friend. She had a good idea of the name to give his feelings but she doubted he was ready for it.

"I would assume that other people might have come to the same conclusion as Ozorne, but Numair, don't let that change the way you are with Daine. You may have something good together one day soon."

Numair smiled at her, standing up. "Thanks, Alanna. I think the charming Emperor had had long enough alone now with Daine."

Alanna grinned, "Go and find her then. Its time for dinner anyhow."

Numair walked out of the room, an air of confusion still hanging around him. Alanna watched the tall mage curiously. _It would be nice_, she thought, _if they did get together._

Daine stayed close to Numair for most of the boat ride home. She wasn't quite sure yet that she was ready to let him out of her sight after believing that he had been executed at the hands of Ozorne. She found that the mage was more than happy to stay around her, checking that she wasn't too tired or over-exerting herself and helping to look after Kitten and Zek.

One evening, the first on the voyage that it had not rained, Daine found Numair on the deck of the boat, looking up at the stars. She joined him, briefly touching his arm to let him know she was there. Numair looked at her and put his arm impetuously around her waist, pulling her to him.

"What's that for?" she asked him softly; still not used to the new feelings he was creating in her when he touched her.

"I didn't do anything with Varice Kingsford," he told her.

"What?" exclaimed Daine, had he realized how she felt when she had found Varice's handkerchief.

"I just wanted to tell you so you didn't think I was cavorting with the enemy. She did come to my room, but I stopped it before too much happened," he said quietly, looking at her with a deep intensity.

"Why?" Daine inquired.

"Because I had no feelings left for her," his gaze remained on her, the faint light from the ship highlighting his features and his silky black hair.

"Absolutely nothing happened between Kaddar an' me either," Daine whispered, "You got very protective for nothing."

Numair smiled to himself, he didn't think protective was the right word.

"So am I your weak spot?" Daine asked him, looking at him with a glint in her eye.

Numair moved his arm away to create some distance. He looked at the wooden decking, not meeting her eyes. "I suppose you are, magelet," he responded. "Let's go and get some supper and check on Kitten," Numair decided that this conversation needed to come to an end before anything came of it.


	2. Chapter 1 Gifts

Disclaimer: All characters and the realm of Tortall belong to Tamora Pierce.

Chapter 1 - Gifts

Numair swung his long legs out of bed and stood up, feeling the weight of what had just happened resting on his shoulders. The barrier between them and the immortals had evaporated. And he was in love with Daine. He wasn't quite sure which of the two he should think about first. He decided to bathe and deal with what he had realised about the young wildmage. The barrier could wait until he met with Jonathan. He knew he had feelings for his student – although she now felt more like his partner than student – but he had thought of it as being more like a crush due to her blossoming into a beautiful young woman. Numair ran the bath lukewarm and jumped in. So he was in love with her. The realisation made him smile. He had never been in love before, even with Varice as a teenager he hadn't felt like this. He though of all the Midwinter gifts he had bought Daine and wondered if people would question why he had spent so much. He wondered if Daine would question it. A knock sounded at his door.

"Who is it?" he yelled from his bath chamber.

"It's me, Daine," came the response.

"I'm in the bath," the mage called back, "You can wait in my room, I'll only be a minute!"

"I've heard that one before!" Daine chuckled loudly so he could just about hear.

He clicked his fingers to release the spell he had locking his door so she could come in. As he finished his wash he could hear her talking to Kitten, looking at a spell he was cultivating in his bedchamber. He smiled, enjoying the sound of her voice and the warm atmosphere she brought with her. He pulled on fresh clothes and went to join her. She turned to him as soon as he entered the room and hugged him tightly. He returned the embrace, picking her up to his height easily and kissing her cheek.

"Happy Midwinter!" She smiled at him, making his stomach feel warm and soft. "I have a fair few presents for you," she blushed slightly, "But I thought they'd best wait till after we'd seen Jon about what's happened."

Numair put her down gently, reluctantly moving his arms away from her.

"I've gifts for you, too, Magelet," he sighed, "But you're right, we should find Jon first."

"Where do you think he'll be?" Daine asked, her eyes searching his room, probably for Midwinter gifts he thought.

"Breakfast hall," Numair replied, "Some people will need feeding all the more given what's just happened."

They walked to the breakfast hall, Daine slipping her arm through his comfortably. Since returning from Carthak she had been much more tactile with him, quite openly as well, in front of other people. Numair had taken Alanna's advice and had just let things continue naturally between them. "Let people think what they want to," the King's Champion had told him, "They're hardly going to make a massive deal over it, given that you are two of the most powerful mages in Tortall!"

They sat next to each other in the hall, Kitten the other side of Daine. Harailt, the Dean of the University, was already there, a worried look on his face; Gareth the Elder was busy pouring himself tea, looked up briefly to nod to Daine and Numair as they entered. People arrived slowly, apprehension taking over the usual merry atmosphere of Midwinter. The king and his queen, Thayet, joined them last.

King Jonathan looked around the room, many of the people there were members of his councils, all were people he considered to be friends.

"Numair," he addressed the mage, "What exactly has happened? Could you confirm it for everybody, please."

"The barrier between the realms has evaporated," he said concisely, "The immortals that have been separated from us for four hundred years have been freed to join us once more." Numair sighed. He had really wanted a peaceful, enjoyable Midwinter.

"What do you predict will happen?" The king asked.

"The immortals will come through to us as and when the wish. We shall simply have to be prepared to deal with them as they come," Numair answered.

"What is the immediate risk?" Thayet queried.

"At this moment in time?" Thayet nodded, "Probably slight. They will need time to get through and I imagine that this cold winter we're having will dissuade them from visiting us much until near the spring thaws."

Thayet banged her glass down hard on the table and stood up. Everyone stared at her, including the king. "In that case our plans for the Midwinter festival will continue and I will not have anyone fretting about things to come. We shall deal with them when the time arises!"

"Here, here," cried Gareth the Younger. The other around the table stood up and echoed his cry.

After he had eaten, Jonathan came over to speak to Numair and Daine.

"Thayet's right," he said, "We should enjoy this festival, especially as it's looking like it's going to be a tough year given the delightful present Ozorne has sent us."

"Are you sure it's him?" Daine asked, "He's a stormwing, he mayn't have grasped their magic yet."

Numair shook his head. "He may not have, but there's no telling who he will have persuaded to be his ally."

The king nodded. "I need you to compile a list of known immortals and their characteristics. If suitable, it needs to include ways to dispose of them," Jonathan swallowed hard, "We can send copied to all Rider groups and Own so we can be prepared."

Numair nodded. "That's a fairy straight-forward task, my lord. We could probably have that finished before the end of the day."

Daine smiled at this; she had been hoping to go and see the horses with Numair and maybe taken Spots and Cloud out for a ride. _Still, _she thought, _my knowledge of immortal is as good as his. I won't just be a student with this._

Jonathan smiled at them both. "You will have to stop at around four anyhow. Thayet's planning on everyone exchanging gifts in the banqueting hall before the ball," Jonathan looked at Daine, "Make sure he does come. You know what he's like when he gets involved in something."

"Don't worry," she replied, "I'll make sure that he's there."

They spent the rest of the morning in Numair's study, searching through volumes of folklore, fairytales and ancient tomes that only Numair would possess. Jonathan sent up lunch to them, consisting of roast chicken, bread and juice. By mid-afternoon they had almost completed their task and Numair was preparing a spell that would duplicate their work so they could send a copy to each Rider group and Own.

"Numair," Daine looked at him, knowing she didn't have his attention.

"Hmmm…" he replied.

"NUMAIR!" she shouted.

"Daine?" Now he looked at her.

"I have present for you in my room that I want you to open before the ball; I'm just going to go and get it."

Numair nodded, staring into his wardrobe as she left. He stood up and opened the doors of his closet, taking out one of the neatly wrapped packages and depositing it on the chair where she had been sat. He looked at the neat, carefully scripted writing she had produced about the immortals and he realised once again that she was hardly his student anymore. In many ways, she was teaching him new ideas, new thoughts, new feelings.

The door opened and Daine entered, carrying a large, wrapped box and a dark-grey coloured Kitten.

"Why is she sulking?" Numair asked Daine.

"She was caught trying to pinch the rind from the ham in the kitchens and was well scolded by Cynri," Daine glared at the young Dragon. "Hopefully she'll be fair sick and then it'll teach her a lesson." She put Kit down who then scuttled and hid under Numair's desk, turning her back to them.

Daine gave the box to Numair. "I've got you some other gifts as well, but I wanted you to have this now," she said shyly.

"Thank you. You know I don't expect anything from you," the mage replied softly.

"Don't be such a dolt! Why shouldn't I get you things?" She said, rather indignantly.

Numair gave her his rather boyish grin. "There's something for you on your chair. I've gotten you some other presents, too, but they can wait. This one can't."

Daine eyes the prettily wrapped package. "New wrapping spell?" she enquired flippantly. Numair simply glared.

She opened her gift first, the small package turning into a long blue silk gown, embroidered with silver thread and a matching silver shawl. The spell Numair had wrapped it in had prevented any creases and the gown rivalled any of the ones she had had in Carthak.

"Numair! It's gorgeous!" Daine felt too stunned to speak.

"I'm glad you like it," the mage replied simply, feeling slightly embarrassed and like the king of the world at the same time. "Can I open mine now?" he asked. She nodded, hanging the dress up on the hook at the back of the door.

Numair undid Daine's wrapping carefully, extracting his gift. They had obviously had the same idea. She had given him a green silk shirt and deep brown breeches in the styles that he favoured. After admiring them he went over to her and kissed her softly on the cheek.

"Thank you, Daine, I love them," he told her. She smiled up at him and he felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her. Instead he backed away and sank into his chair.

"We should best be getting ready," she smiled at him, then gazed at her new garments, "I know what I'll be wearing tonight!" Her eyes twinkled at Numair. "Did you pick it all yourself?" she asked him.

"Of course!" he replied, indignantly. "I even had boy repellent applied so only I can dance with you."

Daine laughed. Numair sighed.

"I'm going to go and get ready. Kitten, are you coming we me or staying with Numair?" The young dragon chirruped and crawled over to the mage. "Very well. Don't let her keep sulking, will you?" And with that, she gathered up her new garments and went to get ready.

Please review!


	3. Chapter 2 A Midwinter Ball

Sonnet Lacewing: _Thank you for reviewing! I've corrected the typo's in the Prologue. My computer sometimes jumps and I end up typing where I shouldn't! I am following cannon, so I won't be killing offNumair! You'll see what happens with Perin in the next couple of chapters!_

**Disclaimer: **These characters do not belong to me, they belong to Tamora Pierce. Although if there is a real-life Numair out there...

Chapter 2 – A Midwinter Ball

Daine bathed and soaped, taking her time to put up and style her own hair and use a tiny bit of the paint she kept for her face. She wanted to be able to do justice to Numair's gift. Daine pulled on the dress, it fitted perfectly. _Numair must've had Kuri Taylor make it, _she thought, feeling slightly inadequate about her curves. She admired herself in the mirror, the dress was amazing, it suited her perfectly; the blue highlighted her eyes, the dress accentuated her figure. Daine sighed wistfully. The dress was beautiful, but she wished that Numair was there with her, just to be able to tell her that. Why Numair? She wondered briefly. It must just be because she spent so much time with him normally she was used to his reassurance. A gentle tap came at the door, followed by a shrill whistle. _Maybe wishes sometimes do come true,_ she thought. The door opened, Numair and Kitten stood on the other side of it, the tall mage scolding the dragon. "She might not have been dressed!" He said in stern tones.

"But I am and what do you think?" Daine demanded. "You look very good!" she told him, noticing the shirt and breeches she had bought him. But Numair wasn't listening. He was too busy staring at Daine.

"You look beautiful!" he said after a minute. She caught his eye for a brief moment and a bolt of lightning shot through her. Not quite knowing what to make of it Daine looked away.

"Are you ready to go down to the hall?" Numair asked gently. "I thought I'd come over to you and see if you wanted to walk down with me."

Daine nodded, briefly looking in the mirror again to check her hair. Numair discreetly watched her, the feelings that he had realised that morning were now hitting him again with full force.

Daine looked at him a little oddly. "Are you sure I look okay? I don't look like a mere Gallan girl tying to dress up?"

Numair sat down on her bed, looking at her seriously. "Daine, you'd never look like a 'mere Gallan girl'. You look stunning. I meant what I said in Carthak, that before I knew it you'd be married to some worthy man." This last comment rather depressed the mage.

Daine sighed. "Trust me, Numair, there isn't anyone I'd want to marry who'd marry me," she said dryly.

"In that case," Numair stood up and offered his arm, not even dreaming of saying what hewas really thinking, "Let me escort you to your ball, m'lady!" Daine giggled and took his arm. Without Numair noticing, she glanced up at his face and let out another wistful sigh.

Presents had been arranged at the tables and Daine was overwhelmed to see that she had quite a pile in her place. She also notice a table arranged for Alanna and her family.

"I thought Alanna was at her father's house for Midwinter this year?" she mentioned to Numair as she sat between him and Kitten.

"They left for Corusthis morning," he replied, "I forgot to tell you."

Daine began to unwrap her gifts. Onua had given her some books on K'miri gods and some new tack; Thayet had provided a stocking full of goodies to decorate Daine's room. She had various other small tokens, even from Miri and Evin, both of whom were currently away with their Rider groups. Numair has also spoilt her. Not only had he given her the dress and its shawl, which she knew must have cost a small fortune, but he had also bought her perfume, pretty coloured pins for her hair and a winter set of shirt and breeches. Numair looked at her; he had observed heropening the gifts with pleasure. Daine glanced up at him and smiled.

"You're going to turn me into a spoilt, demanding female, if you're not careful, Master Salmalin," she told him off.

Numair shook his head. "You couldn't be spoilt if you tried," and handed her one last package.

Daine unwrapped it slowly; inside was a pretty, rectangular box. She opened it up and found a necklace to match the sapphire ear-drops he had given her the previous year.

"Shall I?" Numair offered to put the necklace on for her. Daine nodded, slightly overcome. He stood up and gently placed the jewellery around her neck, carefully locking it in place. She felt a shiver go through her as Numair's long fingers grazed against her skin. Something, she knew, was changing in how she felt about him and she wasn't quite sure what it meant. She also knew that whatever she did feel for him was irrelevant, he would never consider her in anyway other than his student and friend, or would he? He had given gifts to Thayet and Onua as well, but nothing like what he had given her. Maybe he just felt sorry for her, with having no family of her own.

Numair's voice woke her from her considerations. "Do you like it?" he asked, gently touching the cluster of sapphires. She nodded, then kissed him on his cheek, lingering slightly to take in his scent of spices, clean clothes and soap. "I love what you've given me," she told him softly. "Have you opened your gifts?"

Numair shook his head; he'd been too busy watching Daine. However Daine was questioning the amount Numair had given her, she had shopped just as hard for him. Little things, the soaps he likes and the hair products he preened himself with, a bottle of scent for after he had shaved. Numair found himself going red with pleasure when he discovered a book he had long since coveted.

"Where did you find this?" he looked at the young woman, "Do you know how many years I have been looking for this?"

Daine laughed. "A nosy dog told me she had seen it in an inn in Corus so I went and made an offer for it. I thought you would be pleased."

"Pleased?" Numair's voice rose, "I'm over the moon!" He grabbed Daine and pulled he in to a tight embrace, pecking the side of her face with a kiss before drawing away hurriedly. Numair looked up at her thoughtfully, taking in her long lashes, soft, full lips and large blue-grey eyes.

"Thank you, Daine," he uttered, lowering his voice. His excitement over the book has caused a few glances to come their way. "I've never had more thoughtful gifts." He hadn't either, no one else seemed to understand him like Daine did, no one would have ever thought to buy him little things like his favourite soaps, just normal items. An unhappy noise came from a stool next to Daine. There sat a grey, very miserable looking dragon.

"Oh, Kit!" Daine exclaimed, pulling the young dragon's presents closer. "She feels left out."

Numair moved the dragon in between them. By the time she had been cosseted over and coddled with she was back to her usual happy shade.

Queen Thayet the Peerless of Tortall regarded the scene from across the hall, her youngest daughter proceeding to entwine as many ribbons as possible into Thayet's hair. Her husband merely laughed as the new hairstyle became more and more elaborate and predictably harder to untangle. But for now her interest was consumed with the mage and the pretty young woman who weresat besides a young dragon, helping her to unwrap various amusing presents. Thayet glanced at Jonathan, nodding over to where Daine and Numair sat.

"They make such a nice family, don't they?" she muttered to him, eyes twinkling.

"Do you really think there's something going on between them?" Jonathan replied.

"Look at them, Jon. They keep giving each other little glances and they seem to touch each other when ever possible. I don't think anything is happening at present, but it soon will be."

The king smiled. "I think they make a nice match," he said, watching both of them pet Kitten. "They're certainly both unusual."

Thayet glanced at her husband. "And unusual is a term that's never been applied to us, is it?" she joked, as Jon helped their daughter to tidy her hair.

Numair tried to talk to both Lindhall and Daine during the feast, although he was beginning to find it difficult to not focus all of his attention on Daine. Lindhall himself was quite amused by Numair; he had heard much about the girl in Numair's letters and had drawn his own conclusions a while ago. Personally, he thought Daine and Numair were well matched, but he expected that it would take some momentous event to get them to confess their feelings for each other. Numair quizzed him about the barrier's collapse and they swapped varying theories over how it had been done. Most theories seemed to centre on Ozorne.

Daine chatted to Onua, helping Kitten to reach food items that she wished to try.

"I don't know how she does it," Onua said, shaking her head, "She can eat simply anything without being ill!"

Daine nodded. "She was in trouble before for eating the rind off the ham. She snuck into the kitchen while me and Numair were working…" Daine stopped, noticing the look on Onua's face as she mentioned Numair's name. "What's that look for?" Her voice rose.

Onua laughed. "Are you sure that's all you and Numair were doing?" she teased.

Daine felt herself getting cross. "Yes! It was!" She toned her voice down, aware that the mage was sat next to her, although he was engaged in a conversation with Lindhall. "He doesn't have any feelings like that for me," she whispered.

Onua stood up. "Shall we go and check on the horses before the next course is served?"

Daine nodded. Numair looked at her as she stood up.

"Just going to check the mounts," she told him. "Keep an eye on Kit, will you?"

"Of course," Numair agreed, looking puzzled.

Onua pulled Daine into a small room off the main corridor. "Why, Daine," she began, "I was only teasing. What's going on?"

Daine looked at Onua, she could trust her with anything. "You'll think I'm being silly," she told the horse mistress. "I think I have feelings for Numair," she sniffed slightly.

"And I think he has feelings for you too," Onua told her quietly, her eyes filled with sympathy.

"But not in the same way, though," Daine argued.

"Exactly in the same way," Onua sighed. She's seen this coming; their behaviour towards each other had altered since returning from Carthak.

"Daine, don't try and analyse what you're feeling, just enjoy it," Onua advised.

Daine forced a smile, "Let's go and check in on the horses before they serve desert."

Numair wished he had devised a boy-repellent spray to put on that dress as he watched Perin the clerk whisk Daine about the dance floor. Onua nudged up to him, smiling sweetly at his expression.

"What do you want now?" he snapped, his eyes not leaving Daine and Perin. "If he moves his hand any lower I'm going to turn him into something slimy that smells."

Onua laughed. "She'll be back over to you in a minute," she tried to comfort him.

Numair shrugged and wandered over to Lady Beata.

"May I have the honour of this dance?" he offered his hand, his manners at their courtly best.

"You may," Lady Beata gave him her hand and they began to swirls around the room.

"I doubt you are attempting to court me, sir mage. If anything," she whispered in his ear, "I'd say you were using me to gage someone's reaction."

"The Goddess obviously blessed you with brains as well as beauty," Numair muttered back, his eyes on Daine who was now stood with Perin.

Daine watched him dance with the lady. _I suppose she's more of his standard,_ Daine thought, delicately touching the necklace he had bought her. She kept her eye on the mage, hoping that this was just a dance and not a prelude to a nighttime meeting between them. She was aware of Numair's eyes catching hers as he danced. Why was he looking at her when he should have courting his dance partner? The music finished, Numair bowed to Lady Beata and walked over to Daine. Perin scuttled as the mage appeared.

"Are you alright, Magelet?" he looked at her, concerned.

Daine spluttered slightly. It had begun to irk her even more that Numair had lovers and she knew that this was reflected with the expression on her face. "I could do with a breath of fresh air," she told him truthfully.

"Let's take a short walk outside then," he offered his arm and they strolled outside into the courtyard.

"Something's bothering you," he put his arm around her shoulders in what he hoped was a friendly manner. Daine snuggled into his chest, causing Numair's heart to feel as if it was about to explode.

Daine decided to just spit it out. "I don't like seeing you dance with other women. I don't like knowing that they sometimes end up back at your room."

Numair didn't laugh as she had expected. If fact he said nothing which bothered her even more. Maybe she had said completely the wrong thing.

At last he spoke. "I didn't like seeing you dance with Perin, either," he told her, "I wished you were dancing with…"

Harailt and Lindhall ran out to them. "Numair! Daine! There are unicorns surrounding the stables and they don't look friendly! You'd best go!"

Daine started to run, glancing down at her beloved dress. Numair saw the look and the dress shone briefly with his gift. "It won't muss," he told her as they sped to the stables, Daine feeling nearly overcome with worry.

Please, please, please review!


	4. Chapter 3 Fever

Lela of Bast: _I hope you continue to enjoy it!_

Snowtigress: _I'm including lots of fluff in the next chapter (4)._

**Disclaimer: **All characters are the creations of Tamora Pierce. If they were mine, I would be staying at home tomorrow because I could!

Chapter 3 – Fever

The stables has been surrounded by twenty unicorns, mouths foaming, their eyes a bloody red and turning in their sockets. Numair could feel Daine panicking at his side as she thought of Cloud and the other mounts inside the stables.

"I can spell the stables to protect the horses," Numair told her gently. "You need to do your best to try and round them up." Lindhall and Harailt had created an enclosure using their gifts, which would be enough to restrain immortals once they had got them into it.

Daine called on her wild magic to try and speak and reason with them, but their own sanity, it seemed, was too far gone for to able to talk to them. She took tiger shape and began to growl, they moved away from her, gnashing their teeth and scraping their hind legs. Daine targeted the one she sensed to be their leader, putting on a spurt and running straight at him. He reared up at her, attempting to drive down on her. She rose up onto her hind legs and went for his throat.

The unicorn fell to the ground, the rest of the pack moving away from Daine, preparing to flee. Daine swiftly moved around to the side of them and began to herd them into the pen, which Lindhall and Harailt were moving to catch the immortals. In less than a minute they were enclosed. Numair dropped the protection spell from around the stables and Daine prowled towards him, he had gathered up the clothes she had shed and her jewellery. Turning his back, he allowed Daine chance to get dressed as she changed from tiger shape. She felt woozy and disorientated as she stood up, holding onto Numair for support. He swung his arm around her, steadying her.

"Check on the horses," she muttered, before falling unconscious into the mage's arms.

Numair insisted they take her to his room, as it was nearest. Harailt went to find Duke Baird in the infirmary. Daine was placed on his bed, her face pale and wan, and her body limp. A large bite mark had punctured her arm. He went to touch the area near to it, to get a better look, but Lindhall stopped him.

"She has a unicorn bite," his old teacher informed him. "She is probably developing unicorn fever. The healers will make her up a medicine; it will reduce the fever. She will be fine in a few days, Numair. It's very rarely fatal. I've had it myself." Lindhall looked at Numair, the his face wrapped with concern and worry. "She'll be okay, son," and he patted Numair's arm before leaving the room.

Numair sat beside her on the bed, holding her hand. Gently he moved hairaway from her face and plumped up her pillow. He made up his mind not to leave her until she was well again. A knock sounded at his door and Alanna entered, carrying a bottle of a strange coloured liquid. She glanced at Numair before administering an amount to Daine.

"Numair," she said gently, "Get me an old shirt of yours so I can change her clothes. A dress like this isn't for sleeping in." Numair fetched her an old silk shirt and turned his back as Alanna swapped Daine's dress for something more comfortable. She cleansed Daine's face and applied a cool compress to her head.

"The infirmary's full and Duke Baird's busy, so we'll leave her here for the time being," she said matter-of-factly. "She has got a particularly nasty fever, but she'd strong and she should break through it."

"It set in so quickly," the mage observed, "She was only bitten half an hour ago."

"Her immune system's good, Numair. Her body's dealing with it quickly." Alanna looked at her friend, his concern etched upon his face. "I'll leave you to look after her. Try and get some rest yourself." Alanna left to go and attend to her own family. She had no doubt that Numair would worry himself sick over Daine, but it certainly wouldn't do him any harm.

Two days later Daine remained in the same condition and Numair was becoming more visibly apprehensive. The fever hadn't broken like it had been expected to and the healers were anxiously thinking of new ways to overcome it. Numair looked dreadful, he had had little sleep, spending most of his time trying to cool Daine down, his observant eyes watching her as if she were a new spell, checking for any changes in her condition.

"Why is there no improvement?" he demanded when Duke Baird and Alanna came to administer more medicine. "I know it's a fever from an infection, but surely it should have reduced by now."

"You're right," Duke Baird confessed. "I would have expected her to be well on the way to recovery by now. If there is no improvement by this evening then Alanna or I will check the inside and see how far the infection has travelled. Who knows what germs those beasts had in their mouths."

Numair nodded, taking a gulp of water.

"When's the last time you've eaten anything?" Alanna glared at him.

Numair shook his head. "Not hungry."

"Well, I'm going to have cook make you some broth. Daine needs you to be well. When this fever breaks and she wakes up to find that you're ill she'll get upset and that, laddybuck, will do her no good at all!" Numair nodded at Alanna, she had just pulled all the right strings. He was an easy target with anything related to Daine.

Alanna and Duke Baird left Numair to look after Daine and walked back down towards to kitchens. Both were more concerned about Daine's lack of progress than they had let on to Numair.

"I think it's possible that the infection from the bite is spreading fast and her immune system is unable to keep up with it. Why did we not burn it out to start with?" Duke Baird muttered at Alanna.

"Daine usually recovers much more easily on her own without healing. It seemed to be only a small area that was infected originally, and her initial recovery was good. If there is no improvement by this evening I'll try to burn out as much of the infection as possible," Alanna decided, striding into the kitchens to ask for soup for Numair.

"We'll have act quickly if that is the case," the Duke said in undertones so the servants couldn't here. "If she gets much worse, and the infection spreads to her brain she will risk losing her life."

Please review and tell me what you think! If I get more reviews I'll put the next chapter up! It's ready and waiting!


	5. Chapter 4 All Through The Night

_A/N: I kinda went on one here. **Please review** and tell me if it works or not._

_Disclaimer: The characters belong to Tamora Pierce, yada, yada, yada._

Chapter 4 – All Through The Night

Numair watched Daine's face as she writhed about under the fever's control. She muttered unknown words under her breath, tears trickling down her cheeks. He had no healing magic that would be of any use and felt completely useless, as if he was failing her. She was plainly having nightmares that tortured her, caused by her high temperature. He racked his brains for ways to give her calm sleep. These nightmare, he knew, were not sent from Gainel, the dream God, but purely the bad, distorted memories being dragged up from the recesses of her mind by the fever so he wouldn't be interfering too much if he could send her some good memories that weren't distorted and that he _could _do; it was a spell his mother had used on him when he had been a boy.

He tried to take her head gently in his hands, but she wasn't still enough for him to be able to mentally pass on shared memories. He thought briefly about how else he could do this. _It is possible to do this through a part of that person_, he remembered. He stood up from his perch next to her and went over to his mirror drawer. From inside a small cubby-hole he pulled out a silver pair of scissors and after a second thought he also took out a bracelet and a locket that had belonged to his great-grandfather. He gently clipped a small lock of smoky brown hair that had fallen across the pillow and held it in between his two thumbs. Closing his eyes, he envisioned a tunnel from his mind to hers and filled it with his gift. He then filled the tunnel with what he hoped were happy memories for her; talking to the dolphins, Midwinter gifts… unintentionally he began to fill it with some of his own, from his perspective; seeing her in Carthak after Ozorne's demise, holding her tightly in Dunlath after getting rid of the bloodrain, watching her open her gifts and seeing her in the dress he'd picked for her.

Recalling memories soothed him and for the first time since Midwinter's night the exhausted mage began to fall asleep, the tunnel still connecting their minds. Daine's breathing had become more regular with the pleasant dreams she found herself having, although they were becoming slightly odder. In them she stopped seeing things with her own eyes and saw through someone else's instead. They were looking at her, seeing her in a away Daine though impossible, her skin never looked that radiant to her nor were her eyelashes quite that long. She heard a man's voice, although she couldn't see him and realised that it was Numair, and she was seeing things the way he would. He looked and spoke to her so tenderly Daine wished she could be back in her own body and able to respond to him.

Somewhere above Corus, in a place that Daine and Numair had never imagined, sat a god; only a slight smile that played on his lips showing his amusement as his eyes were filled with shadows. He liked the girl and the mage, he had watched them for some time now and noticed that they needed guidance a little different from what the Badger god was giving them. Gainel's smile grew slightly more as he delved into their dreams.

Numair found himself in a field of long grass and wild flowers. The sun was high in the sky and the day was warm. In the distance he could hear the sound of running water gurgling along a rocky stream that was hidden behind the trees nearby. He had never been here before and had no memory of it, but it was a perfect place. Next to him was Daine, wearing summer breeches and shirt, her hair wild about her head. She rested her head on his shoulder and her found himself pulling her towards him. She lifted her head up for a kiss, which he gave without hesitation.

"Where are we?" she asked him, her pupil's reflecting his own face.

"I'm not sure," he told her, "I think we are in a dream. This place is like none I've ever heard of or seenbefore."

She stood up, looking round her. "I don't hear anything either, there are no animals that I can sense, yet I can hear them with my ears…" She looked at him quizzically. "So if this is a dream I can tell you anything?"

Numair nodded.

"What if I told you I loved you?" she asked him.

"In the sense that you love family…" he began.

"No," Daine shook her head, "Like I want to tell you everyday that I think I'm in love with you."

Numair felt stunned; them remembered that this was a dream, his dream, he could say what he wanted and Daine would never know.

"It would make me the happiest man alive if you told me that," he said.

"Are you in love with me?" Daine asked, tipping her head to one side.

"How do you know?"

"I don't. Onua said that she thought you felt the same way I did. When are you going to tell me?" Numair laughed at Daine's impatience.

"I am madly in love with you, Veralidaine Sarrasri!" He looked into her eyes as he said it and saw the reaction he had imagined over and over in his head.

"But when are you going to tell me properly – when we're awake?" Daine's eyes filled with sadness.

"I don't know if I can. You're so much younger than me; I've been your teacher…I don't want to trap you into something that you're not ready for. I don't want to make you unhappy, I don't know if I deserve you yet," he explained.

They walked down to the stream, the sun peeping through the tall trees enough to warm them gently. The sound of the water running calmed Daine like no medicine ever would, the gentle breeze whispering through the trees easing her mind. They sat on a rock, looking along the river towards where the trees ended and they could see the green fields meet with the horizon, the blazing sun resting in the sky.

"Numair," Daine said softly, not wanting to break the silence. "I have my own mind. That's part of the reason you love me. I have made my own decisions since I was twelve years old; please let me carry on doing that. By not telling me you love me you are making me fair unhappy. I need to be with you."

"Our ages…" he began. Daine looked into the large brown eyes set in the swarthy face she had come to love so much. She touched the side of his face with her hand and drew her face closer to his.

"Our ages will not matter in the end," she told him, and began a kiss, a kiss that in their dreams would never stop.

Numair was asleep next to Daine when Alanna came in to check on her. She paused a moment to check the girl's fever and breathing, noting that she was much cooler and her breath less raspy. Numair had regained some colour to him, she observed, as she looked at the mage lying next to Daine, one arm cast loosely over her.

Thayet popped her head round the door and smothered a giggle at the sight. Alanna smiled at the woman who had been her friend before she had became queen.

"Daine's fever seems to have broken," she whispered.

"Goddess be thanked. But I think Numair's fever has only just started!" Thayet's laugh became louder.

Alanna pulled her out of the room before the volume could rise any more.

"He looks so cute, curled up to her like that!" Thayet giggled, Alanna joined in. This was something they could use as ammunition to tease the lanky mage with, which was always fun.

"I'll check on her again in an hour," Alanna said seriously, "Although I expect she will be well on her way then to recovery."

Daine awoke three hours later to find Numair talking in his sleep next to her. She turned her head towards him, his hair had come loose from its tie and his face showed stubble growth that was more than a few days old.

"Numair," she tried to wake him gently, "Numair! Wake up! What's happened?"

The mage's eyes opened and looked at Daine. "Magelet," he croaked in recognition. "You're awake."

"What happened?" she asked.

"You've had unicorn fever," he told her. His words stirred memories in Daine's brain.

"The horses?" she enquired sharply.

"Are all fine," he sleepily pulled her to him, his mind still full of a dream he had been having. Her head fitted perfectly under his chin as she absent-mindedly nuzzled his chest.

Gainel watched them as they fell back to sleep. The idea that they were loved back was now in their minds. It would be up to them to act upon it.

**Now review, purleasssse!**


	6. Chapter 5 Leaving

Lela-of-Bast: I love reviews too!

Nativewildmage: I've already written the whole caboodle, I'm just in the process of typing it up.Thank you for the compliment!

Narm's Britton 44: I had Numair get Kuri Taylor tomakethe dress.She would have had Daine's measurements from otherdresses she had made. Andand would assume Daine had done the same for Numair. Glad you like the story though!

A/N - I've had issues with paragraphing. If it seems a little jumpy its because it should probably be a new paragraph. Hope you think it reads alright.

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to TP.

Chapter 5 - Leaving

Lindhall looked in on Daine, grinning at the two of them curled up together like lovers. Daine was clearly over the worst now, she would have to rest for a week or two and regain her strength, but for now, at least, she was better. As for Numair, he would be needed to go to the Gallan boarder in two days hence to confer with an old mage living there about the evaporation of the barrier. He doubted that Numair would be best pleased about this; he wouldn't want to leave his student after her illness.

Numair stirred shortly after dawn, realising that he had a numb arm cause by Daine having lay on it all night. He left it there, unwilling to move it and wake her. The feeling of Numair's gaze on her roused Daine from her slumber, she opened her eyes and looked straight into a pair of deep brown eyes framed by lashes longer than her own.

"Morning," she mumbled to him. "Have you been with me all the time I've been ill?" Numair nodded as best he could with his head still on the pillow. She smiled at him, not quite sure of what to do or say. For awhile they both lay there, looking and smiling at each other. Numair didn't want to move, wondering when the next time would be when he got to hold and look at her like this.

A sharp knock rapped at the door. Numair groaned audibly. "I bet that's Alanna," he muttered crossly, untangling himself from Daine and getting off the bed. "She has a mighty fine knack of spoiling things."

It wasn't Alanna, but the king himself who has come to see them. He coughed slightly to smother a laugh at the scene before him. However innocent, he had obviously interrupted a moment between the two. Jonathan just hoped that the battles they were certain to face did not cease any more 'moments' from occurring. He looked at Daine, still curled up in bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her. She sat up a little too quickly and felt slightly dizzy.

"Much better – have the unicorns been herded up?" she enquired, trying to ignore her dizziness in front of the king.

"They've been seen to," the king responded. "I just came here to see how you were doing. Numair, may I have a word?" The king and Numair disappeared into Numair's study and workroom. It was a large room, with lots of equipment and books. Two desks were present; one where the mage generally worked alone and another where he and Daine could go over her lessons.

Numair caught the king's eye. "Oh, Jon, no," he called, "She's only just better. I can't drag her out to near Galla now!"

Jonathan shook his head. "There's no way Daine's going. The healers think it'll take her at least a week to be properly on her feet and then she'll need to rebuild her strength. You'll be gone a fortnight, give or take, and it _is_ necessary, Numair! The old wizard will only speak with you."

Numair groaned loudly. "Hag's bones, Jon. I don't like leaving her now, after this."

"She'll be well looked after. Onua'll be keeping an eye on her. We're hardly going to let anything to happen to her, are we?"

Numair shook his head. "Who's going with?"

"Alanna and Lindhall. You'll be in good company."

The mage sighed. "I know, it's important. When are we leaving?"

"First light tomorrow."

"It gets better."

Numair left Daine sleeping in his bed that afternoon on his own personal mission to find a certain court artist. He had placed the lock of hair he had taken into the old locket with the idea of having a love token. He decided not to think too much about the concept of him having a love token as he found it little worrying. Anyway, if he was going to have one he may as well do it properly. Volney Rain had been given a small room in the servants' quarters while he created portraits of the princes and princesses. A small miniature portrait of Daine would take him less than an hour. He knocked on the artist's door with vigour.

"Hang on a minute!" the door opened a minute later. A court lady Numair recognised distanced herself at the back of the room. Numair raised his eyebrows.

"You can hardly talk!" Volney whispered with a laugh. "Although I've heard you've been quiet on the courtin' scene lately?"

Numair glared at him. "Listen, I'm going away tomorrow and I want a portrait of my student to take with me."

Now it was Volney's turn to raise his eyebrows.

"It's for a speaking spell while I'm away!" Numair thanked the Goddess that most people were ignorant about magic. Volney's eyebrows just rose further.

"Believe what you will," Numair shrugged.

"I heard she's ill. Is she going to want to sit for a portrait if she's not at her best?" the artist enquired.

"She'd probably laugh if I asked her to sit for a portrait," Numair sighed, imagining Daine's response. "I want it to fit into this," he tapped the locket to show Volney the size.

Volney nodded. "I know her well enough to paint her."

"They'll be extra if you have it finished by nightfall," Numair told him.

Volney Rain nodded at the mage. Once Numair had begun to walk away he shook his head, a knowing smile on his face.

Numair returned bringing chicken soup and freshly baked bread for Daine. She was sat up in bed, reading one of his giant spell books.

"Here," the mage said, using his Gift to move the book and place a tray on her lap. He gave her the food. "Eat," he ordered, "I want to see you eat a meal before I go off adventuring." He sat down on the bed, sighing.

"You'll only be gone for two weeks, Numair," she said between mouthfuls. "For most of that time I'll probably be in bed. They're not for letting me get up yet."

Numair smiled at her. "You have been poorly, Daine. You do need to rest."

"I know," she told him, devouring the rest of the soup. A tap sounded at the door, Numair got up to answer it. Volney Rain stood there, a miniature of Daine in his hand. Numair shepherded him outside so Daine couldn't hear.

"I think I understand why you've not been doing much courtin' lately," he said to the mage in an undertone. "Good luck to you, master Numair. She's a mighty fine lass."

Numair looked at the portrait. It was perfect in every detail, right down to her soft mouth and stubborn chin. He gave payment plus a bit extra to the artist. "You've done a good job," he said gruffly, inserting the picture into the locket. He smiled, it was silly he knew, but he felt a bit better knowing he could look at Daine any time he wished.

He looked at her in his room; reading a book on dragon lore.

"Numair, where are you going to sleep tonight?" she looked in concern at the mage. "Shall I go back to my own room?"

"I'll be fine in the chair," he told her.

"But you're up early tomorrow, and you've a long journey. You need a good night's sleep."

"Honestly, Daine. I'll be alright in the chair."

Daine woke in the night needing a drink of water and found Numair asleep on the other side of the bed, snoring softly. A smile came to her lips when she found his hand gently holding onto hers.

Numair left as morning broke over Corus, leaving Daine to continue her recovery alone. Alanna and Lindhall were waiting for him at the stables as he got there and Spots' eyes were willing him to have a more graceful ride than usual. They said little as they began their journey. Neither Alanna nor Numair were morning people, and even Lindhall, who generally made the most of the mornings himself, stayed silent, gazing around at the layers of snow that would make their task so much slower. Winter had hit Tortall hard, and as they were travelling north it would only get worse. Alanna let out a deep sigh. At least the weather would prevent much in the way of trouble, although they would have to contend with cold camps and dingy inns.

Numair wondered what Daine would do while he was away. He had had a rather odd dream a few nights back when they had confessed that they loved each other. He was certain that wishful thinking had prompted the dream and had put it to the back of his mind; but that hadn't stopped the hope in his heart growing just a small bit more.

_Now please review! I need to know what you think so I can improve it!_


	7. Chapter 6 WalkingRunning

Lela-of-Bast - Hope you carry on enjoying it!

Snowtigress - thank you for your comments. I usually put in whatever word comes to mind first! Will pay a bit more attention.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to TP.

Chapter 6 – Walking…Running

Numair had been away for two days when Daine finally managed to get back on her feet again. The first place she decided to visit was the stables, wanting to check in on Cloud and the other horses that she helped to look after. Daine felt relaxed and at home as soon as she entered, the overtly familiar smells and sounds doing her more good than a week of bed-rest and nasty herb messes. Cloud shifted over to her, whinnying softly.

_Are you better now? _Her oldest friend asked her.

"Just," Daine replied, burying her hands in Cloud's mane. "No one was hurt by the unicorns, were they?"

_Only you!_ Cloud retorted. _Trust yourself to be bitten by a unicorn!_

Daine smiled to herself, Cloud had never altered. "Numair's gone on a trip," she told the mare.

_I know, _Cloud replied, _He took Spots. Are you missing him?_

Daine was silent. Cloud already knew the answer to that.

Outside the stable Daine came across Perin, one of the clerks. She knew him fairly well. He was four or five years older than her and very handsome. He had kissed her on Midwinter's eve, and Daine knew that he had wanted it to go further.

"Daine," he addressed her and bowed slightly. "I thought you might be here. Would you care to take a walk with me in the snow?"

Daine looked at him. She felt lonely without Numair, even though she had plenty of friends at the palace. Perin was nice enough to talk to, so why not? "A walk sounds fair interesting, Master Perin," she replied, taking his arm.

They strolled for about an hour, chatting about non-eventful things, which made light relief for Daine. She found Perin quite funny; he had a good way of telling a story and was quite happy to laugh at himself too. Perin walked her back to the stable when he had to return to work.

"Thank you, Daine, you've made my lunch break much more fun," he smiled at her.

"It's been a pleasure," she told him, returning his grin.

Swiftly, he bent down and kissed her. It was pleasant, she thought, wondering how the ladies of the court felt when Numair kissed them.

Perin came to meet her at the stables everyday at lunchtime, and everyday he would kiss her, not only when he left her, either at the stables or in her room, but as they were walking too. Daine looked forward to Perin's visits; she was really missing Numair and the clerk's company helped to resolve that slightly.

Perin's advances to her were becoming more persistent after seven or eight days of courting her. He had begun to visit her in the evenings, suggesting moonlit walks in the snow, or stargazing from the tops of one of the towers. Daine had gone along with him, enjoying the attention as much as anything else. One the tenth evening since Numair and Alanna had left on their quest, Perin and Daine took a walk through the fields where the horses usually grazed in summer. Perin was especially attentive, holding her hand, helping her across fences even though she was far more adept at climbing them than him. When Perin returned with her to her room he entered with her, closing the door behind him and sitting on her bed. Daine was slightly perturbed by this; generally he saw her to her door and that was that, but now he was veering into her territory and Daine had a very good idea why.

"I'm not sure you should be in here, Perin," she said, as politely as she could manage.

"Why not?" he laughed. "We could have some fun!"

"I don't want that kind of fun with you, thank you," she opened the door and gestured for him to leave.

Perin stood up and scowled at her. "I suggest you're careful about who you lead on next time," he snarled.

"I think you're fair right, Master Clerk, I'd best be more careful with who I choose to associate with in future!" Daine closed the door as he left, managing not to slam it, and bolted it securely. Kitten slipped out from under the bed and whistled, concerned.

"I'm fine, Kit, thank you," Daine told the worried dragon. "Men! So many of them are after one thing!" Daine changed her clothes rapidly, pulling on Numair's old silk shirt and got into bed after opening a window slightly. She fell asleep surrounded by the animals that came into her room, aware that not all was well in the love life of Daine Sarrasri.

The following day, Daine went to the stables as usual too check on the mounts that were not currently being used for duty. Lunchtime cane and went and Daine was relieved to see no sign of Perin. Onua, whose sharp eyes hadn't missed a thing over the past two weeks, raised her eyebrows at Daine's rather serious face.

"No visit from your clerk then today?" she asked innocently, having a very good idea of what had happened.

Daine hook her head, grooming Cloud hard enough to cause the horse to complain.

"Why don't you come and have some lunch with me?" Onua sat down in a cosy corner next to some large bales of hay. Daine trudged over, sat down next to her employer and friend and sighed.

"What happened?" The older woman asked.

"He only wanted to bed me," Daine told her, an ironic laugh in her voice.

"Perin has a reputation for only being interested in one thing. He's a little like Numair _used_ to be in that respect, but Numair was slightly more discreet. The trouble is, Perin's quite pretty for a boy so a lot of girls give him whatever he wants."

"Well I didn't. I told him to leave and he did. He didn't try any funny business," Daine assured her, knowing that if Onua thought that the clerk had put one unwanted finger on her he would be as good as skinned and stewed.

"I didn't think he would do, else I would have warned you about him," Onua told her. "He'll have found his next target by now, so don't worry, he'll pester you no more." She paused, looking at Daine's glum face. "You didn't like _like_ him, did you?"

Daine shook her head, "No, that was the problem."

Onua looked puzzled.

"Perin was charming," Daine began to explain. "But he wasn't as interesting as…" She stopped what she was about to say and blushed.

Onua raised an eyebrow again. Daine shrugged. "He's clever, he knows lots of things!" She defended herself. "All the other men just don't… well, they don't…"

"They're not Numair?" Onua finished for her. Daine nodded, not looking Onua in the eye. Onua passed her a thick piece of bread and roast ham.

"Eat," she ordered. Daine ate, glad that Onua wasn't making her talk any more. Onua had already guessed at Daine's feelings for Numair and didn't particularly want to dramatize them for Daine's sake. However, she wasn't one for letting someone wallow in his or her own misery. "I know you miss Numair, Daine, and I know that, for you, no one else compares with him. Maybe you should tell him how you feel?"

Daine shook her head and laughed woefully, remembering the dream when their kiss had lasted until she had woken up. Now wouldn't be the time to tell him, he had to realise that she could make her own decisions about him. "He'd think I was ridiculous, Onua. And then I'd be too embarrassed to see him again. Let's talk about something else. I need to get my mind off this man business."

Onua laughed and changed the topic to Thayet's wardrobe as they continued eating their lunch.

Fifteen days after leaving Corus, Numair Salmalin, Alanna of Pirates' Swoop and a very cold Lindhall returned from the north of Tortall not much wiser than when they left. As soon as she sensed Spots and Darkmoon nearing, Daine grabbed her warm winter shawl and ran out of her small room to greet them. The day was cold, more snow had fallen and more was promised for that evening. Daine changed her eyes to that of an eagle as the party drew nearer, noticing the grim look etched upon Numair's face. The mage looked grey with the cold, his hands quite heavily bandaged. Daine grew cold with concern. She ran hurriedly to meet them, sending word with a maid to let Alanna's husband and the king know of their return. Numair caught sight of Daine running to them, and Alanna noticed his face light up. _He's really missed her, _she thought; _He's not his usual, annoying self when she's not around._

Daine reached them quickly having reshaped her feet to that of a snow leopard. "It's good to have you back," she told them, producing apples out of her pockets for the horses. "How was you trip?"

Alanna's face fell into a scowl. "The old mage we went to see was killed two days before we arrived."

Daine looked grim. The Lioness would not have appreciated leaving her family for a wasted journey.

Numair smiled at her, noticing that her old colour and strength had returned. "You look better, Magelet," he said. "That's good to see."

"You, on the other hand, Master Salmalin, do not look so good!" she replied. "What's happened to your hands?"

Numair grimaced. "Frostbite. We came across Hurroks one night. It didn't take long for the cold to do its damage. They're on the mend, though," he reassured her, noticing the worried look on her face.

They dismounted; Stefan, the chief ostler took their mounts and took them back to the stables. Daine felt a strong urge to go with him and check the horses were alright and administer any healing, but her need to check on Numair was even stronger. George, the Baron of Pirates' Swoop had come to greet his tired wife, and surrounded her along with their three children. Lindhall was led away by Harailt, probably straight back to the university as Harailt has been stewing over something for a few days. Numair and Daine made their way to Daine's room, which as closest. Numair fell down on the bed, groaning as he did so.

"Was it that bad?" Daine enquired softly, as Kitten curled up to him.

"It was cold and snowy and the weather made it take us twice as long to do anything. The old mage was killed; probably by someone from Scanra connected to Ozorne. He knew of ways to restrain immortals but had apparently never told anyone, or written them down."

Daine began to tenderly unwrap the bandages from his fingers, hoping that the warmth of her room as well as the comfort of being home would help the healing process.

"Have you learnt anymore of Ozorne?" she enquired.

"Nothing solid. It seems Scanra and the Copper Isles are hoping that the releasing of the immortals will weaken the land and then they can invade. I think we will have a lot of work to do when the thaws come."

Daine nodded in agreement. She imagined that they would have plenty to do also.

"It's good to be home," Numair murmured, wrapping an arm around Daine's waist before he drifted off to sleep.

Daine woke Numair just before sundown with an ointment that had been sent from Duke Baird.

"Here," she said as he woke. "This needs to be put on your hands. You also need and bath and to get ready. Jon wants us all to have a meal together."

Numair smiled at her, still too drowsy and wrapped up in his dreams for words, and sat up, disturbing a snoozing Kitten in the process.

"A hot bath sounds good," he said when he was able. "I'll go back to my rooms. I'll see you at dinner then?" He stood up.

Daine nodded. "And try not to do any more damage to yourself!" she instructed. "It seems you have to have me around to keep you out of mischief!"

Numair grinned at her as he left her room, he did seem to get into more scrapes when Diane wasn't around.

Daine found herself sat next to Numair and Kalasin, Thayet's eldest daughter, at supper. Looking across the room she saw that Alanna was decidedly more cheery than when she had first returned, and was seemingly enjoying the company of her husband and children. Daine watched George and the Lioness. They'd been married twelve years or near enough and they still looked at each other with that _something_ in their eyes. She sneaked a look at Numair, who was in conversation with Harailt on his other side. She'd once though the kind the most magnificent man she'd ever met, but now she thought that way – and more – about the mage instead. She grinned as she saw him pushing the food about his plate. Long journeys did not help Numair's appetite. He saw her smirk from the corner of his eyes and grinned back at her.

"I might just ask if I can have some bread and ham," Numair smiled. "At least you don't have to ask your canine friends to eat the meal for me."

Daine scowled. "At least there's nothing weird being served here. I can't believe Varice gave us dormice to eat. That's food for cats!"

"At least she isn't here as well," Numair shuddered.

"Where is she now?" Daine enquired. "Is she still working for the emperor?"

Numair shook his head. "She went to work for one of the noble families in Carthak as I don't think she was entirely to Kaddar's taste. I also heard that she's betrothed to some wealthy nobleman."

"Does that bother you?"

"Not at all, Magelet. It makes me feel quite relieved, if anything."

Daine smiled happily to herself. She hadn't liked Varice Kingsford one bit.

A waiter brought simple bread and ham over for Numair, which he ate with much more gusto that the rather elaborate dish that Daine had enjoyed. His colour had begun to return to him and he looked much healthier than he had when he arrived that afternoon.

After dessert, Jonathan stood and hushed the hall of people.

"The weather, for once, is acting in our favour. Neither we nor our enemies or the immortals can move much in these conditions, so our current plan is a simple one. Until the spring thaws it is suggested that we remain in place; those of you here will stay at the palace. In the meantime, we will prepare our minds and bodies for whatever types of battle the Gods may throw at us. We will aim to stay healthy, build our strength and develop strategies for what may happen. We will also use this time to enjoy ourselves before war commences."

A round of applause greeted Jonathan's speech. "He spoke sense," Daine whispered to Numair. "There isn't much we can do until the snow has thawed."

"Jon nearly always does speak sense. I'm tired, Magelet. I think I'm going to go to my room." Numair began to stand up slowly, still showing signs of his tiring journey.

"Don't forget to put that ointment on your hands again," Daine reminded him. Numair grinned, causing a flutter in Daine's chest. "I won't," he called back, as he moved away from the table.

_He will forget,_ Daine thought, _I'd best send someone to remind him._

Numair snuggled down into his bed, sighing with the satisfaction of sleeping in a comfortable place after two weeks on the road. He intended to make the most of this comfort while he could, as after the thaws, he predicted, their would be much fro him and Daine to do.

Daine. His thoughts turned to the woman who had slept beside him. The last time he had slept in his bed she had been with him. He tapped the locket around his wrist and glanced at her picture. He was disturbed from his thought by a tapping at the window. Getting out of his bed, Numair opened up the window and let in a large raven. The raven hopped over to the ointment for his hands and began to tap on its lid.

"She's right," Numair thought out loud. "I do get quite lost without her." He applied the cream, a wistful smile upon his face as he wondered what the future held for them.

**Please review. I've had loads of hits, but not many reviews yet and I'd like to know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 7 Planning

A/N: beware, it gets a bit corny but I couldn't bear to leave it out!

Disclaimer: It's all Tamora's.

Chapter 7 – Planning

For the next few weeks, Numair and Daine concentrated on preparing themselves for whatever trouble lay ahead. Numair worked on numerous spells and learnt as much as he could about the various immortals. Daine spent a lot of her days with him, taking in as much information as she could about the enemies they were probably going to face in the months to come. She frequently took bird shape and flew around the area to see if any predators were gathering. The atmosphere in the palace was that of a calm before a storm; jokes were still being told, banquets were still held, but in the air there was a sense of purpose.

Numair fought his emotions during this period. He could no longer deny his feeling for Daine to himself, but he did his best to not lat anyone further their suspicions. In public he was less tactile, although he couldn't bring himself to become involved with any of the current ladies of the court. Daine noticed Numair's reticence towards her; frequently he would draw his hand away as if scorched by flames. Daine didn't dwell too much on this. She understood that her feeling for Numair had changed, but she refused to let it concern her, not for one second considering that he might return what she felt.

Onua watched her two friend with much amusement. Clearly, they were both aware of their own feelings but completely unaware of each other's. Onua refrained from undertaking any matchmaking activities, although it would have certainly introduced some much needed entertainment into the palace.

Numair's thirtieth birthday approached a few weeks before the spring equinox and Thayet decided that it would be suitable to hold a banquet in celebration of it, much to Numair's dismay.

"Don't be silly, Numair," Thayet responded to his groans when the idea was mentioned. "We all need a bit of a celebration to perk us up and it might be the last big chance for that before trouble starts!"

Numair glared at the queen. He had no desire to be the centre of attention for the whole of one evening.

"Oh, come on, Numair! It is your thirtieth! It might be you last birthday…" Thayet said, evilly.

"Thanks, Thayet, that's very optimistic," Numair grumbled.

"Well if you don't cheer up about your birthday, I will see to it personally that you don't reach your thirty-first!" She brandished a nearby fork.

Numair shrugged. There was no use arguing with Thayet when she was this set on something. "Fine," he gave in. Then thoughtfully, he added, "Do you think I could ask Daine to go with me?"

Thayet looked at him, bemusement in her eyes. "It wouldn't do any harm. Lady Jayette will be there so Daine will probably be a good deterrent. Although people will gossip."

"They do already," Numair smiled woefully. "Maybe one day they'll have something to gossip about!"

Thayet smiled back, knowingly. Numair had mentioned to her that he was beginning to see Daine in a different light a week or so ago when she had caught him gazing at her across the breakfast hall. She had pretending she hadn't suspected anything and acted all surprised when he confessed, which seemed to cheer him up, as he had thought that everyone in the palace knew.

She saw what looked like pain in Numair's eyes when he talked about Daine.

"I imagine Daine would love to go with you, Numair," she reassured him. Numair's smile grew wider. "When should I tell her, Thayet?" he asked, "I can't keep on like this. One day some man's going to come along and marry her and I'll just be a bumbling fool at the wedding, wishing I'd had the courage to say something when I had the chance! But I'm so much older."

Thayet touched Numair's arm. "One day at a time. She's not going to be marrying anyone. She's constantly with you. And as for your ages, that won't matter in the end."

Numair was sure he'd head those words somewhere before.

"So are we having this party?" Numair nodded, Thayet had just won the battle.

He told Daine about it that evening when they were in one of the courtyards, him stargazing and her conversing with nearby animals.

"So will you let me escort you to the banquet then?" he asked her, feeling rather like a teenage boy asking a girl to dance for the first time.

"Of course," she replied, watching a tree sprite in a close by cherry-blossom. "Why do you want me to go with you though?"

"Two reasons," he had thought this through previously, knowing she would ask this question. "Lady Jayette is being quite persistent and you will act as a very good deterrent." The lady was none too fond of animals and therefore gave Daine a wide berth.

"Okay, " Daine said, not taking her eyes away from the tree-sprite. "That's one reason, what's the other."

Numair was silent for a minute or two, thinking about what he was going to say. "You are one of the most beautiful women in the court so why wouldn't I want you on my arm?"

Daine blushed, pleased that the darkness concealed the reddening of her cheeks. Numair carried on looking through his telescope, wondering if he had said too much.

Daine turned to look at him, realising she liked what she saw. Numair returned her gaze and she felt that there was something rather magical happening. Quickly, he looked away and stood up, brushing down his robes. "We'd better get back. I need my beauty sleep for tomorrow night," he told her rather brusquely. Daine stood up, feeling slightly perturbed. One minute he was telling her how beautiful she was and the next he was obviously trying to get away as far as possible from her!

Back in the small room, she changed into Numair's old shirt and climbed into bed. Numair had seen her back to her room but had said very little. Kitten climbed into bed with her, making low, comforting noises that told Daine she was concerned.

"I'd really like to know what's going on inside his head!" she told the young dragon. Kitten nodded in response. She knew from Daine's mutterings by now that 'his' generally meant Numair. "He's one of three ways with me; friend, teacher – and an off-hand one at that sometimes – or he's almost wooing me." Daine snuggled into her pillow, her eyes half closed with sleep. Kitten chirruped comfortingly as Daine drifted off into the realms of Gainel.

She dreamt of Hurroks, bridges and spindrens and Ozorne; she dreamt that Numair had never met her again in Carthak. Her eyes opened, breaking the dream and next to her she saw the Badger.

_You were having a nightmare,_ he told her. _But it was only that. What was it about? You were terrified._

"I dreamed that Numair was dead in Carthak," he told him, wiping a stray tear away from her eye.

_He is well and sleeping soundly._ The Badger god informed her. _He will always be here to look after you, Daine._

Daine nodded to him, wishing for peaceful sleep.

I have come while I can, my kit. There is trouble afoot in my own lands and I am needed there. But there is also trouble here. Do not be afraid to use what you know, or to speak how you feel, he said rather knowingly. 

"My da?" Daine managed to mutter, "Who is he?"

_You'll find out soon enough, the badger responded. I will ask Gainel to send you pleasant dreams._ And with that, he was gone.

**Please review. This was a chapter just for a little bit of near-fluff between DN. **


	9. Chapter 8 Turning

A/N: If only Onua doesn't interrupt them….

Chapter 8 – Turning

Numair's thirtieth birthday arrived the week after the Badger's visit. Daine had told him of her nighttime visitor, but the mage had purposely left out the fact that the Badger has visited him also.

Numair sat up in bed and looked around his room in the palace. He had done very well for a boy who hadn't been noble born. He had done very well for a man who had made an enemy out of Ozorne. He considered his status; he was one of the king of Tortall's right hand men; he was an extremely powerful black robe mage; he had the wealth that these things had brought him; he had many good friends. He paused in his thinking and wondered what was making him feel so empty and looked at the other side of his bed. He had never particularly noticed its emptiness before, but now it was putting its hand out and slapping him in the face. Hard. He flicked open the locket that he wore continuously around his wrist and looked at he portrait Volney Rain had painted of Daine. She had provided his purpose for the last three years. Alanna, Thayet, Onua, Jon and his other friends had all had their own reasons to be. His family were far away. His own name had changed. He had had many lovers since his arrival at court but no one had ever led him to feeling like there was a void, let alone come close to filling it. He considered Daine and her arrival into his life when Onua has brought her with the horses from Galla and Daine had saved his life when he was trapped as a falcon. Then she had become his student and learnt to trust him. He remembered waking up with her next to him after the siege at Pirates' Swoop, the day they went to find Kitten. He hadn't had feeling like this for her then, but he had had a bond with her. He was beginning to see that his feelings weren't such a shock; their relationship had developed naturally. It hadn't been love at first sight like Jon and Thayet, more of a growth like Alanna had had with George. Numair sighed. This pondering was all very well, but he didn't really know for sure how Daine felt.

After getting dressed the mage made his way downstairs to the hall where breakfast was being served, accepting congratulations and happy birthdays from people who passed him on the way. The hall was relatively quiet; Harailt was one of the few enjoying a late breakfast with his hangover and Numair sat beside him.

"Happy birthday," Harailt groaned into his orange juice.

"Thanks. I've got a cure for what you're feeling in my study," Numair offered.

Harailt groaned again, pushing away the plate of in front of him. "I'm trying to condition myself into not drinking by going through the pain the day after," he informed Numair. "I do too many stupid things when I'm drunk."

Numair grinned at his fellow mage in sympathy. "I've been there a few times myself."

"Not recently, though," Harailt smiled. "You've been extremely quiet on the bad head scene."

Numair smiled into his juice, thinking of the reasons why he had been quiet. If he had too much to drink there would be no telling what words might come out of his mouth. "So who was she, then?" Numair enquired.

"The one that's been after you. She spent most of the night trying to persuade me to give her a spell to make you fall for her and then she transferred her attentions to me. After the third bottle of wine."

Numair laughed. "Thank you. You've done me a favour."

Harailt shrugged. "It was a pleasure. Your loss is my gain. I quite like her actually."

Numair's keen eyes watched Harailt's face as he talked about his new lover. He obviously did quite like her. He just hoped that she was as keen on him.

"Are you accompanying her tonight?" He asked.

"As long as she doesn't change her mind. She seemed quite keen this morning though. Are you going with Daine?" A quizzical look appeared on Harailt's face.

Numair sighed. At least Harailt hadn't figures out Numair's feelings yet. "I don't see anything wrong with taking my student."

"The gossips will have an interesting day tomorrow."

"It will be nothing that they haven't said before. People who matter know the truth, that's the main thing, " Numair said wearily.

" If I hear anything untoward I've got a nice spell that seals the mouth until a key word is spoken. It's for the use of spies who are caught but I think it would work on gossips too," Harailt downed the rest of his orange juice and stood up. "I'm going to go and die quietly in my rooms. I'll see you tonight, hopefully with the lovely Lady Jayette." And with that, he was gone.

Numair found Daine mucking out the stables and having a heated discussion with Cloud about the horse's reluctance to be thoroughly groomed.

"Well, its just too bad," he heard Daine say firmly. "It needs to be done. And if you bite me I'll sell you to Sarge!"

Numair watched her work. He didn't notice the bits of straw attached to her hair, or her torn breeches and creased shirt. His eyes were filled with his Magelet, he only noticed her perfections.

She turned round suddenly to see him watching her; Cloud must have told her that he was there. She came over to him, throwing her arms around him impetuously.

"Happy birthday!" she called and kissed his cheek. Did she linger for a millisecond too long, he wondered?

"I've presents for you, but you won't get them until tonight!" she teased. He smiled weakly at her. "What's the matter?" Her voice was concerned.

Numair shrugged. "Turning thirty," he answered, sitting down on a fresh bale of hay. She placed herself next to him, her thigh brushing his.

"Why should turning thirty bother you? It's only a number." She said, matter-of-factly.

"I'm not a twenty-something anymore. I woke up this morning and wondered what I had to show for thirty years," Numair wondered why he could say absolutely anything to the young woman beside him.

"If you're fishing for compliments you've come to the wrong place," she told him directly.

Numair smiled at her. "I wasn't, actually. For once."

Daine put her hand on his arm and looked straight into the warm brown eyes, enjoying the drowning sensation it provoked.

"Numair," she began, softly. "You're one of seven - or is it six now? - black robe mages in the world; you're one of Jon's closest friends and highly regarded advisors; you've got wonderful close friends; wealth, an excellent home… Numair, why do you need me to tell you all this? So what, you're thirty! Most people don't achieve what you have in a lifetime." Her hands held his arms gently as she spoke, sending shivers of excitement through his body. His hand went to her hair and began to tousle her curls. He remembered when she had been ill with unicorn fever and had stayed in his room. Although he had worried sick about her, he had felt complete with her being there with him. When she wasn't there he felt as if half of him was missing. He wished he could tell her, but what would she say? He didn't want to damage their friendship. Now was definitely not the right time.

Daine looked into his eyes and fought the urge to curl up in his arms. He was obviously deep in thought. Her hand left his arm and touched his chest, her fingers grazing the skin that showed in the V of his shirt. For a few minutes there was no one else in the world bar them. Daine wondered if this is what it would be like if they did become more than friends, more than teacher and student. Numair pulled her into his arms, wrapping them around her, giving in momentarily to his feelings. He rested his chin on her head, his fingers still entwined in her curls.

"I just feel that something's missing sometimes," he whispered to her, nuzzling her hair. "And that's what makes me feel as if I'm not in control."

Daine looked up at him, her body curled against his. She had never felt as close to anyone as she felt to Numair now. "I know how you feel," she said, "For I have good friends and a home here, and I love serving the king and Tortall and I have the animals too… but sometimes I need _this,_ Numair…" She nestled her head on his shoulder, her lips almost touching his neck. He could feel her warm breath stroking his skin. He didn't want this moment to leave them.

"I know," he whispered back to her, his own lips now gently touching her curls in a kiss.

He heard Cloud harrumph quietly in the background and wondered if the horse approved or not. He had no doubt that she had guessed his feelings although he doubted she had shared that knowledge with Daine. Daine moved slowly in his arms, moving closer to him. He had held her many times since he had met her, but previously he had been holding a girl. Her whole demeanour had now altered; he held his equal, a strong, intelligent woman.

The stable door creaked open, blowing in cold air. Daine and Numair looked towards the sound and saw Onua appear. Neither made ant effort to disengage from each other. Onua regarded them with raised eyebrows. "Shall I go and come back later?" Neither said anything, they knew full well how it looked but they didn't make any effort to move.

"Daine," Onua's tone was dry. "When you're ready Thayet had a dress she wants you to be fitted for."

"I'd fair forgotten!" Daine still made no effort to move.

"I've come all this way in thick snow to pass that message on!" Onua pointed out.

Daine pulled a face and got up. Numair watched he pull on her thick winter shawl as leave, muttering to Cloud as she closed the door.

Onua studied the lanky mage sat in front of her and shook her head. Numair blushed and looked at the floor. Onua picked up the rake and continued mucking out.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" He asked the horse mistress.

Onua turned to him, sighing. "What's there to say?" She replied softly. "I have no warnings to give as I don't see you breaking each others hearts." She smiled at him. "You look good together, Numair."

He noticed a tinge of sadness in her voice. "Why have you had no lover since you've been here, Onua?" he asked, concerned.

"After everything that happened with my marriage I won't give up my freedom lightly. It would take one hell of a man!"

"Don't you miss the companionship?" he enquired.

Onua laughed, "Sometimes, but I value my independence more."

"You could have both!"

Onua looked at him strangely. "This is rich coming from the man who has courted and discarded half the ladies in Tortall because he felt he was being 'smothered'!"

"Maybe it just takes the right person," he replied, unperturbed.

"Maybe it does. And I'll let you know when I've found him!"

Numair smiled at his friend. "Harailt spent the night with Lady Jayette," he informed her.

"Really?" Onua responded, pleased to change the subject. "Who told you?"

And with that they spent a pleasant hour exchanging court gossip, just as bad as the maids.

_Please review! I know I've not has any cliffhangers – there are a couple coming up – which I apologise for. I really just wanted to explore the relationships between various characters a bit more and try and go into more depth. Thank you for reading, especially if you've read all eight chapters! More to come..._


	10. Chapter 9 Freezing

_Thank you to **Lela-of-Bast** and **nativewildmage** for your reviews, they made me type quicker! I hope you like this chapter!_

_**Mrs Dom Masbolle: **Thank you for reviewing **From Embers to a Flame**. I probably won't do any more early Daine stories though. That kinda just hit me as I was driving home!_

_**Silverlake: **Onua is an interesting character. There was lots about her in WM but hardly anything in the rest of the quartet. I'm going to write a follow-up to ROtG after Interlude so I'll probably include her a in there as she'd be interesting to explore. Or even in a oneshot... (Goes into dream land...) Sonnet Lacewing has written a really good story with loads of Onua called Enemies also._

_**Sonnet Lacewing: **Thank you for your reviews! I'm glad you're liking it. I like the little family as well - I wonder what Kitten made of Daine and Numair's relationship as it progressed? Re **From Embers to a Flame, **I think I saw Weiryn as Sarra saw him, he wouldn't have been as much of an obvious predator with Sarra if he was trying to seduce her, and she obviously was attracted to him. I also think that he was in love with her and had been for a while, hence he was quite shy. He's an interesting character - maybe I'll do more with him._

_**Tammy P RoCKs: **Hope you like this chapter with the ball..._

_**Esmerelda 01: **I decided to hold off for a couple of days with this chapter. I always like to have one in documents ready to go out (weird, I know!)_

**Disclaimer:** _None of the characters are mine. They are all TP's. Unfortunately I have been in Daine's state so I can claim experience of that!_

_A/N I remembered just how nice it is to have a drunken rant! Most therapeutic, until the next day when you can't remember half of what you said!_

Chapter 9 – Freezing

Thayet had taken an interest in dress making of all things to occupy her over the winter period. Daine now felt as if she was being painfully turned into porcupine, the queen had jabbed so many pins into her.

"Right, I've finished!" Thayet declared. "See what you think!"

Daine looked in the mirror. The dress had slim straps and a bodice style top with a skirt that was fitted over her hips and then flared out subtly. It deep was in a deep forest green shade that suited her skin tone and the satin material hung beautifully.

"It's amazing, Thayet, it really is," Daine said quietly. "I might just do Numair justice in this."

Thayet watched her young face frown with a worried expression. "You won't if you wear that look on your face! Numair wouldn't care if you wore rags, and you know it!"

"You talk as if we were lovers!" Daine argued back.

"Well, aren't you?" Thayet asked, knowing full well the answer.

"We haven't even kissed!" Daine blushed.

Thayet rolled her eyes. "Well, there won't be a better dressed, more beautiful woman at his party tonight!" She pulled up Daine's hair into a fancy twist. "Come to me after you've bathed and I'll sort your hair," she told her gently. Daine smiled at Thayet through the mirror. _People are only saying these things about me an' Numair to take their minds off what's going to be happening,_ she thought. _When the immortals start to come through we'll have no more time for this frippery._

Numair walked to Daine's room that evening in a calm, uplifted mood. He was now looking forward to the night; contrary to all the arguments he had against it. He was also glad that he had persuaded Daine to let him escort her. He tapped gently on the door and waited to hear her voice release the door spell and let him in. No answer came. "Daine?" he shouted at the door. "Daine?" Numair began to panic slightly. Had she realised what he felt about her and been upset by it? He wondered what to do if she had. His wonderings were interrupted by the sound of quick footsteps.

"Numair!" he heard her shout. "I'm sorry. Thayet was doing my hair and it took ages. I just need to get changed." She unlocked the door and let him in. "Sit on the bed, I'll get readybehind the screen."

Numair did as he was bidden, thinking that maybe he shouldn't be present while she was changing. He deliberately tried to keep his eyes away from the decorated screen but couldn't help but think about what was going on behind it.

"I'm ready!" Daine emerged wearing a long, green dress a few minutes later. He gazed at her, knowing he was staring but unable to take his eyes away.

"How do I look?" she asked him. He could have sworn she was teasing him.

Numair looked into her eyes, framed by those long lashes. He walked the three paces towards her, took her hand and kissed it. "I told you I was taking the most beautiful women in Tortall to my birthday celebrations," he replied simply, offering his arm and leading Daine out of the room.

In four weeks time Daine would remember that night as being the last time all the people she called her family were together, without having any other worries. She spent most of the night dancing, mainly with Numair, seeing as he was so reluctant to let anyone else dance with her, although neither she, nor Harailt, were overly gladdened when Numair took a turn with Lady Jayette.

The night began to end when Gareth the Elder finally refused to let any more wine and ale be brought up from the cellar. Jonathan was declaring undying love for his wife, muttering sentences which were far more suited to the bedroom than for public hearing; Alanna had passed out in a corner, much to the amusement of George who was threatening to leave her there till morning, and Harailt, having captivated Lady Jayette for a second night in succession was seemingly devouring her in full view of everyone who cared to look.

Daine, who in the past had drank very little, had managed a fair few glasses of wine in honour of her friend's birthday and was sat down wondering how she was going to get back to her room. Numair, watching her while he was listening to Jon describing Thayet's finer assets, was rather amused at her state. Daine didn't usually get drunk; in fact, he had never seen her like this before. He left Jonathan to his ramblings and went to sit beside her.

She smiled at him, sipping more of the wine from her goblet. "What was Jon saying?" she slurred.

"How much he appreciated Thayet's … erm… qualities!"

Daine chuckled. "I hope for his sake he's drank enough to not remember much of tonight!"

Numair smiled rather shyly at her. He had had slightly more than enough to drink also and was worried; alcohol usually made his tongue quite lose,he didn't want to saysomething he'd regret later.

"I think I might head back to my rooms, Daine. I'm sure Jon and George will be down here until to very small hours of the morning and I've the urge to have some peace. Do you want me to take you?" he slurred slightly.

Daine screwed her face up at him. "What did you just ask me?"

Numair realised his slip. "I mean do you want me to take you back to your room?"

Her eyes lit with a mischievous gleam. "I preferred what you said the first time, Numair. I would very much like you to take me!" she giggled drunkenly.

Numair's dark skin went red. Daine laughed. "I'm sure, Numair, that you've asked lots of court ladies that question and never gone back on it before."

"I didn't mean it to come out like that… It's you… It's different…"

"Is it?" She challenged him, trying to steady herself as she stood up to gain some advantage of height over him, if possible. "Why is it different Numair? Don't you think of me in that way?"

_Yes it was different; _he wanted to tell her, _I want you for a lover like no one else before. I dream of having that closeness with you every night. Each morning I wish I woke up with you in my bed and I want to touch you for real and not just in my head. But most of all, I want to be able to love you; and that, my Magelet, is what makes you different and why I won't take you back to my rooms tonight._ Numair reached for a glass, wishing he had the courage to say the words he had just thought, and poured himself a top up of wine from the bottle left over next to them.

He looked at her and took a mouthful of his drink. She waited for him to respond, expecting him to tell her that he saw her as being a young girl. To him she looked anything but. She wasn't a young girl any more.

"I do, Daine. I do think of you in that way. That's why maybe you should get George or someone else to see you back to your rooms, and not me," he said, slowly and calmly.

Daine stared at him, hands on her hips. Numair stood up and kissed her on the cheek for just long enough for her to realise the truth of what he'd said. Then he left her and went back to George, Jon and Thayet, muttering something brief to George.

Daine watched him without smiling. She put down her glass and decided that the best option was to go to bed. Hopefully things would be clearer in the morning.

Numair tried not to watch her leave, most people still at the celebration were retiring now themselves, wishing him 'happy birthday' one last time. He fought the urge to go after her, realising for the first time that there was more to their relationship than he had been giving credit, and, for the first time, really drawing hope that Daine might actually return his feelings.

George had followed Daine. Numair had asked him to, but he would have gone anyway, given that she was drunk and that they had had words of one kind or another. He tapped on her door lightly. She answered, a look of disappointment crossing her face when she saw it was him. _She wants Numair,_ he thought. _Someone needs to bang their heads together!_

"I've come ta see how y'are," he said quietly. She slumped down on her bed, looking up at him with large eyes. He recognised the signs. Alanna wasn't one for crying much at all, but Onua – now there was a woman who could cry a river, sea and ocean in one sitting, especially after a couple of bottles of wine.

"Do you think he hates me now?" she whimpered, the tears as predicted rolling down her cheeks.

George sat down next to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Ye are bein' silly if that's what yer thinking. He could never hate ye in a million years. What did you say ta each other?"

Daine winced. "I asked him if I was different from the other women he'd taken back to his rooms and if he thought of me that way…" she began to sob.

_Poor lass,_ George thought. _She's going ta have a nasty headache in the morning._

"What did he say back?"_ He can't have gone an' told her, else she wouldn't be upset. _

"He said he did think of me that way and that's why he wouldn't walk me back 'cause he was bothered of what would happen an' and I don't understand why he would be so bothered an' I don't know how he thinks of me…"

George held her while she cried it out, still making unintelligible murmurs about the mage. _Curse Numair! _He thought. _Why he can't just put them both out of their misery!_

"Look, Daine," he said firmly when her sobs had subsided. "I know ye think a lot an' more besides about Numair, an' you needn't deny it. An' its obvious to everyone that knows ye he's more than fond of ye too; but ye shouldn't be getting this worked up. Ye know he's protective of ye, he were just protectin' ye from himself."

"But I wish he hadn't…"

"Trust me, Daine, lass, ye would in the mornin', when its all awkward an' ye don't know what to say ta each other. It's not the right way to start a relationship. Sex should be somethin' that develops between ye, not starts it," George said gently.

Daine sighed. "But you an' Alanna…"

George smiled. He had thought she would make that comparison.

"I kissed Alanna first when she were fifteen. She knew of my feelin's before anythin' happen for a might longer than I wanted her to. I also wasn't her first," he said.

Her tears ceased, her eyes now swollen and tired. "I've been silly, haven't I?"

"No, Daine, ye really haven't. I think ye needed this ta happen. You'll understand your own and Numair's feeling more now, when time's ready for ye."

"You think he's as confused as I am?"

_I know he is, _George thought. "Probably more so, Daine. But it will all be fine in the end."

"If we don't all get killed beforehand," she muttered glumly.

"Ye sound too much like Alanna. Now drink some water an' sleep. I must go an' see if my wife has awaked from her slumber," he gave her the rogue's smile and left her to sleep.

Daine drifted off into the dreamless sleep given by wine, comforted and soothed by George's words.

In his rooms, Numair tossed and turned, bothered by the vacant space in his bed and the aching in his heart.

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_Please review! I like getting reviews, it makes me want to write more! I thought George might sound a bit like Hagrid as I seemed to have Hagrid's voice in my head as I wrote it. It might just be because I imagine George to have a (English) West Country accent – like Hagrid's. **Please let me know what you thought!**_


	11. Chapter 10 Thawing

**Lela-of-Bast:** _I felt sorry for Daine, but she'll soon cheer up!_

**Snowtigress:**_Please let me know if there are any more typos. I've been typing this up (It's already handwritten) quite late on into the night and my proof reading is none too grand because I know what's coming next._

**Twilightshades:**_ There's very little drinking in the actual series as everyone probably knows, but hey, it's Numair's 30th and it was a bit of fun. I enjoyed writing that chapter._

**Nativewildmage: **_I don't think my George is very accurate, but I just went of the voices in my head! I don't usually write accents so that was a new one for me._

**Sonnet Lacewing: **_I agree with your points about George and the drinking, I must've been feeling a bit adventurous at that point! It was fun to write though!_

**Thank you for reviewing!**

A/N_ This is a fairly shortish chapter compare to the last one. The chapters I've handwritten are huge, so I'm trying to chop them up a bit. Next one will be up as soon as I've typed it._

Chapter 10 – Thawing.

Daine hadn't forgotten what Numair had said, though the wine she had consumed the night before had left her with a raging headache. She put Numair's words and lingering kiss down to his intake of alcohol and decided not to think about what might have happened if he had taken her back to her room. She agreed with George; it would have caused more heartache than it would have solved. She felt like curling up and dying quietly in a corner when she saw George and Alanna the next day; although Alanna clearly had known nothing of it, and George had kept tales of Daine's drunken tears to himself.

Numair, after analysing each syllable of their conversation, finally decided to cease going insane and to attempt to put the whole thing to one side to be discussed at a later date. He had gone to find Daine the day after the ball for no particular reason other than to see if she was about to ignore him for the rest of their lives. He tried to think of a reasonable excuse to see her as he walked to the stables but was unable to come up with anything that wasn't ridiculous. His heart sank when she wasn't there. He found Onua talking with Sarge in the field where they trained the horses; he rushed to her rather too quickly.

"Where's Daine?" he asked, anxiously.

"Possibly in her room. She found a kestrel with a broken wing and she wanted some peace to heal it. She's been gone a while actually, I was going to go and check on her," Onua replied, slightly puzzled at Numair's tone. "Is everything alright?"

Numair nodded, feeling like a very large fool. "I just wanted a chat… bit bored, you know."

"You _can_ say you just wanted to see her. We're not about to go telling her 'Numair's got a huge crush on you' or anything like that. If she wasn't so blinkered she'd have noticed by now herself!" Onua said, in a slightly tormenting manner.

"I'll just go and check on her there then…" Numair now felt traumatised with embarrassment.

He walked to Daine's room, knocking softly on the outside door. She opened it after a few seconds, looking drained and tired.

"What's the matter, Magelet?" he asked, concern covering his face.

She let him in silently. All memories of the other night had fallen away now; he felt their relationshipreturn to safe, familiar ground.

"I'm trying to heal a bird, but he's bad, Numair. I've spent most of the morning healing, just small things,and I know I'm tired and not concentrating properly, I just can't see where all the injuries and infections are… I really don't want to lose him," she looked up at him, sorrow in her eyes.

"I'll guide you around. Sit down." He sat behind her on her bed, his hands resting softly on her head as he used his gift to help her locate the sources of the bird's pain. She was reminded of the first time she had healed, and how he had helped her then, shortly after she had confided in him about her past and he had used his gift to contain her wild magic and stop it from taking over her. Any worries from last night were drowned as his magic sent coolness into her head and the closeness that they shared resumed unawkwardly.

The kestrel was saved, but still rather limp and tired. Daine settled him down to rest on a bar she had in her room for the birds that visited her.

"Thank you," she told Numair quietly, smiling at him.

"What for? I only shone a light, in theory. It was you who did the hard work."

"Without you I wouldn't have saved him," she sat down next to him on her bed.

He ruffled her hair without thinking about it, looking into her eyes. He felt as if someone had poured hot lava through his veins, he felt so on fire.

"How's your head?" _If I don't say something, _he thought, _I'm going to kiss her!_

"I saw Harailt in the breakfast hall this morning. He shared a drop of his headache cure with me," she said, a note of laughter in her voice.

"He told me he wasn't using that anymore. He was going to condition himself to not drink with the pain the next day," Numair grinned.

"I think it had something to do with Lady Jayette wanting him to occupy her for the rest of the day," Daine said, smiling a little too sweetly. "I think you've lost a fan there, Numair!"

Numair laughed. "Thankfully. She's an enchantingwoman, but I didn't see her in quitethat light."

"Harailt seems to though, very interested, in fact!" Daine smiled, feeling rejuvenated after her success with the kestrel. "I wonder what they're doing now…"

"And wouldn't Harailt be pleased if we paid him a visit?" Numair finished her sentence.

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The thaws began; and the melting of the snow unsurprisingly coincided with sightings of the immortals. Daine and Numair made the most of their time before they were called away to help defend the realm. They spent their days trying to improve Numair's equestrian skills or doing rather more simple tasks like mucking out the stables – or rather Daine did the work while Numair attempted to create a spell that would do it better.

Their friends at the palace began to leave as they were called away on a daily basis to fight in battle. Daine waited each hour to hear of a message from the king, to send her and Numair to do their job.

That day came when snow still lay on the ground in heavy patches, the new spring sun not yet strong enough to dispel it completely. The messenger found them tucked into Numair's rooms, Daine sprawled on the floor, playing with a lively Kitten while Numair added to a spell he was trying to recreate from an ancient text.

The messenger coughed as Numair let him into the room.

"The king would like to see you immediately in his meeting room," he announced, before dashing off like a scared rabbit.

Numair caught Daine's eye and raised his eyebrows. "It looks as if it's started, Magelet," he sighed as they left the room.

Jonathan was sat behind a table, reams of maps in front of him, and a frown upon his face. He looked up as Daine and Numair entered, attempting a smile and failing miserably.

"It seems that the immortals are reaching us. There have been reports of spidrens, just north of Tyra. The Fifth Rider group down there has attempted to destroy them but they lost their mage in the process."

Numair watched the king with a knowing look in his eye.

"I need you both down there with Skysong. You know I intend to use you both only when there is no one else who can be of assistance. I feel that may be often," Jonathan ended.

"We'll leave immediately," Daine said solemnly.

Numair nodded his agreement. "It should take us no more than three days to get there if we set off now."

"Thank you," the king said simply. "Keep me informed."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now review!


	12. Chapter 11 A Tangled Web

_**Nativewildmage: **Thank you for your review! I'm glad you liked it._

_**Lela-of-Bast: **I hope you like this one too._

_**Esmerelda 01: **Thank you for the compliment! I hope the rest of it is as good._

_**Sonnet Lacewing:** Thank you for the reviews and the help!_

A/N: _A plot actually begins to develop!_

_Also, this chapter is when I restarted writing after a six-week break, so the style might change slightly._

_**Disclaimer: **It's all Tamora's._

Chapter 11 – A Tangled Web

They said nothing as they left the meeting room, parting silently to pack the necessities for the trip. Daine found Numair at the stables, saddling up spots.

"Everything's ready," she told the mage, preparing Mangle with their packs. Numair nodded automatically and Daine wasn't sure if he'd heard what she said.

"There's a forest southeast of here, the Forest of Kirkfalls. We'll aim to camp on the outskirts of it tonight. It's roughly seven hours ride from here," Numair informed her.

"This is how it's going to be, isn't it?" Daine said, rhetorically. "Riding till late and up early."

Numair nodded and smiled at her, "I'll be missing quite a lot of my beauty sleep."

Daine smiled back at him, appreciating his attempt at lightening the situation.

The reached their intended campsite shortly after dusk. Numair's mood had turned black with being saddle sore and Daine thought it was best to say as little as possible to him. They found a small cave that would suffice as shelter and began to set up camp. Neither was particularly hungry but Daine insisted they ate to keep up their strength.

"You cook and I'll clean up," she told the mage before taking owl shape to view the area and report on any abnormalities. She heard talk of other immortals from the People; a nearby cluster of hurroks, firegills, and the spidrens they had come to dispose of, but for the night they would be fine. Daine asked the night creatures and owls to be there lookouts, which they agreed to happily. Once she had changed back to human and caused Numair to blush by not having her clothes to hand she sensed a pack of wolves nearby. Calling them, their pack leader came to her, unnerving Cloud and the other horses, and sitting with Numair as he cooked.

_I am Lightheart, part of the Kirkfalls pack and you are Daine, I know,_ he told her. _We know about you well from the Long Lake pack. If you wish, we can help you, wolf-sister and warn you of any predators._

Daine relayed what he had said to Numair, who nodded, "Will they leave the horses alone? We trust the Long Lake pack, can we trust these?"

She told the wolf their worries.

_We have eaten already; all of us will stay away from your horses. I have also heard that one_ _gives a nasty bite, _Lightheart promised.

Daine accepted his offer and using he tiniest amount of her will made sure that they would leave the mounts alone.

She drained the bowl of soup that Numair had made and quickly tidied up the food things. She began to ready herself for bed, spreading out her bedroll and squatting behind a large pile of rocks to change into bedclothes.

"I'm exhausted," she told Numair.

"Try to sleep well, Magelet," he whispered, making a little more distance between their bedrolls. "We should make the most of this safety while we can." He snuggled down into his bed, sighing comfortably.

Daine resisted the urge to move closer to him. The night was cold but she loved sleeping outdoors – already local creatures had visited her – and she was comforted by Numair's closeness.

"Goodnight," she whispered, but the mage was already sleeping soundly.

Numair woke Daine with the smell of breakfast. She found that she was hungry, despite feelings of apprehension for the coming months. Numair's face was also etched with anxiety; he was preoccupied and distant as they ate breakfast, he merely picked at the bacon he had prepared, giving much of it to a greedy Kit.

"You need to keep your strength up and stop spoiling her!" Daine attempted to rouse him into conversation. "Shall I find you some berries seeing as you're not fair interested in bacon?"

He gave her a half smile and sighed. He shifted his head to one side and looked at her strangely. After a moment he stretched his leg. "I feel as if we've just began a very long journey and I don't know when it will end."

Daine returned his half-smile. "I feel the same. I'm on edge, just waiting for stormwings or hurroks to appear. Every muscle in me seems to be tensed up."

"Come here then," he said quietly. She stepped over to him and sat down where he pointed, with her back to him. She began to feel gentle warmth on her shoulders, kneading her tightened muscles. She felt herself relax and drifted off into a half-sleep.

"We need to get ready to leave, Magelet," she heard Numair whisper into her ear, gently waking her up. Daine yawned. "Thank you, whatever you did seems to have worked. I hope you didn't use too much of your gift?"

"Only a very little. I've had word from Jon. It appears that the spindren's have moved closer in our direction and we're only a day or so ride away. We should meet the Rider group near there."

Daine stood up to get ready to leave. As she did she caught Numair's chin and found herself looking into his deep brown eyes. For a moment she saw a flicker of that something she had seen only once or twice before. It turned her legs to jelly and her insides felt like they were melting. She looked away, not quite knowing how to deal with it and started to decamp.

Once saddled and mounted, Numair began to recount all he knew about spidrens and the many ways in which he could think of to dispose of them. Daine listened, interjecting every so often with thoughts and theories of her own. He appreciated her input more than he admitted; she had now well and truly grown out of being his student. She had a mind of her own and he relied on it more than he did on some of his well-loved, arcane books. They travelled quickly, Numair making up in speed what he lacked in grace and finesse. Daine realized how anxious he was to finish their task and head back to Corus.

They paused briefly at mid-afternoon to rest Cloud and Spots and eat a plain lunch from one of the food parcels in their packs. Numair pushed on, Daine keeping up with him, until the sun had just begun its nightly descent.

"We'll set up camp here, Daine," he said, breaking the silence that had circled them for the past two hours. "Can you ask some of the nocturnal creatures to watch out for us? We both need our sleep and strength for tomorrow."

Daine smiled at him as he moved a few loose tendrils of hair out of his eyes. Numair's sharp eyes caught her smile. He blushed and smiled back. He loosened the tie and let his raven hair fall about his face and neck. "Dratted thing!" he cursed. "It's lost its grip!"

"I though I told you years ago, you just need to wet it before you tie it!" Daine said, laughingly.

Numair moved closer to her, looking into blue-grey eyes, framed by those long lashes and wishing for the hundredth time that day that he could kiss her without worrying about the repercussions.

"You've come a long way since then," he managed to say. "You're not that young, wild girl anymore."

Daine shook her head in agreement that she wasn't. "A lot of that is down to you, Numair," she said softly.

Numair shook his head. "No one else would have responded the way you did."

_It's getting dark_, Daine heard Cloud mutter, _Stop your silly chatting and set up for the night! You'll have plenty of time to fawn over each other later! _

Daine laughed and gave Numair an edited version of what Cloud has said. Numair sighed his agreement with the mare and began to get their camp ready. Daine received numerous offers of help from her request to help keep a watch overnight. She cooked a simple meal from their supplies while Numair sorted out their bedrolls and warded the camp. Kitten shared the meal that Daine had prepared and then promptly fell asleep, snoring quietly in Daine's bedroll.

Numair watched Daine's face glowing in the firelight. _If she could see how I saw her she would be shocked_, he thought to himself. _She's the most beautiful woman I've ever met, I just wish…_ He was interrupted from his thoughts by Daine edging closer to him.

"It's cold," she chattered, her shoulders touching his. "Surely the immortals could've waited until all the snow had gone!"

Numair laughed, putting an arm around her shoulders and drawing her closer. Daine sunk into his warmth, sighing peacefully. "This bit I like," she whispered to him.

"Which bit's that?" he murmured back.

"The bit where it's just you and me and the outdoors,"

"You used to prefer it to be just you and the outdoors," Numair felt his heartbeat rise slightly.

"That changed. You… you're fair…" to Numair's disappointment they were interrupted by a rustling from the nearby bushes. A fox appeared, moving towards them.

_It's the man-spiders! They are near you! _He told Daine in mind-speak.

Numair read her look and quickly and quietly stood up, pulling Daine up with him. She grabbed her bow and arrows and readied herself to use them. Numair woke Kitten and picked her up.

_Where are they?_ She asked the fox. _And why didn't I sense them?_

_There still quite far away, but I thought I should tell you,_ the fox replied. _I will lead you._

He began to take them into the deep woods they were next to. After a slight trek Daine began to sense the immortals and she shuddered inwardly. These were the ones she detested the most, she had seen too many people caught in their webs and their furry bodies and sharp teeth had frequently appeared in her nightmares.

She caught sight of one scuttle in the distance into a large bush. From the corner of her eye she saw Numair lift his hand and mutter something under his breath. An almighty tongue of fire rose up from the bush, throwing up spindren limbs and fur all around. Daine sensed another behind her. She turned around and instinctively let an arrow fly straight into it, consequently being sprayed by its sticky innards.

Two more appeared in front of them; one mottled female cackled a laugh from her human head, causing Daine to shiver.

"We've got your friends all tied up in one of our comfortable homes!" she told them in a high voice. "We're saving them for dessert!" she laughed again, hurting Daine's ears. Daine heard brief noises from behind them and to their sides. Two spidrens were behind them and one to their left and right. They were surrounded.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please review!


	13. Chapter 12 The Red Mage

_**Lela-of-Bast:** Glad you liked the cliffy, wasn't sure if it would work or not._

_**Sonnet Lacewing: **I have read those books over and over and each time I have read it as Spin-drens, probably because they **spin** webs. I've corrected them all now, but I can't get it to sound right in my head. Firegills were made up - don't worry, I doubt you'd ever miss anything! If I don't write more about them in this then I will in my RoTG follow up. Re the massage, I wish my other half had that talent!_

_**Daine: **Thank you for your review. I can be a bit lazy, and instead of checking something I will often just put down what I think it is instead of checking. I also don't like breaking the flow of writing._

_**Nativewildmage:** I hope you're not in too much pain!_

_**Skysong the Dragonet:** Hope this updaye is quick enough for you!_

_**Silverlake: **The story will stop once they're reached Port Legann. Another 6 chapters I think._

_**Esmerelda 01: **Your reviews make me laugh! I think you'd be a bit nicer than Cloud! I do regulary want to bang their heads together. Its been carthatic writing this as I've been able to extend on their relationship fromthe books and build it up more. As they were friendsfor so long, and Numair realised he was in love with her six or seven months before they did anything there must have been a tension between them and its been fun writing about it. I can't wait to do the ROtGfollow up and develop their relationship as a new couple._

_**A request: **A show called Bones is starting in England on Thursday and I was wondering if any of you have seen it as it started in the states a while ago. Its got David Boreanaz in it and its written by Kathy Reichs, whose crime novels I love. If you've seen it or know anything about it can you PM me and let me know what its like - I don't want to be disppointed! Ta muchly!_

**_Disclaimer: _It's not mine!**

Chapter 12 – A Red Mage

Numair had realised they were surrounded. Surprisingly he felt remarkably cool headed and calm. He stepped so that Kitten was shielded between himself and Daine. Spidrens were extremely quick and nasty, but they weren't especially intelligent. Daine had her arrow ready and he guessed she was probably going to go for the one to her side first, then behind. He thought that he should attack the female in front first to cover Daine and then to his side.

"Are you just going to stand there and wait to be eaten?" the female taunted. He raised his hand and blasted her with his gift. Just as quickly Daine had moved to her left and speared the Spidren there with an arrow. In the light of the moon he saw pink web flying out of the spinneret of the Spindren to his right and felt it glue to his side and chest, now unable to move his arm freely. Daine span round and faced that spidren, aiming an arrow at its belly and hitting exactly. The webs on Numair turned to liquid and left him free to move, although his arm was now covered in painful welts. The final immortal behind them jumped quickly away from them; both Daine and Numair faced him. Almost simultaneously, they attacked the remaining spidren; Numair's black power exploding into its stomach and Daine's arrow piercing one eye.

She let out a deep breath. "Are you okay?" she asked Numair.

"I don't know, that webbing they fire doesn't feel particularly pleasant," he felt pain in the right side of his neck and where his shirt didn't cover his skin. "Can you sense any more?"

"No, that's it. We need to find the Rider group. How bad are you?" she asked.

"I'll live. Can you call Spots and Cloud? We'll find the Riders much quicker on horseback," he said grimly, fearing the worse for the Rider group.

Daine called the two mounts to her. They came rapidly, heeding Daine's urgent call.

"Do you have an idea of where the Rider group is?" she asked Numair who was studying a map he had kept tucked in his pocket.

"I'm going to assume that they're close by. I don't understand why we hadn't heard from them again that the spidrens had moved nearer in our direction," she could see in the moonlight that Numair looked a little bemused.

"Is it possible that they were ambushed by the spidrens?" Daine asked.

"It's possible, but not probable. It seems that somehow the Riders have been stopped from letting us know that the spidrens had moved," Numair used his magic to light way in the blanket of darkness that had engulfed them.

Travelling east, the direction in which the Rider group had last been to their knowledge, they approached a clearing in the thick undergrowth that they had been riding through. Numair's light caught the liquid webs, eerily pretty as it reflected the glow. Daine made out familiar faces of people lying on the floors. A muffled cry came from the other end of the clearing. About to dismount Cloud and hurry over Numair stopped her. "I'm going to set up a light spell," he informed her. "There no point either of us being injured by tripping over vines or such like as we try and help." He conjured up a ball of light, sent it up high and expanded it, casting light over their surroundings.

"Be on your guard," he told her.

"You too!" she muttered back, eyeing her tall companion.

Silently, they went to check on each of the eight riders, Numair's face turning greyer with worry as he approached each one. All had been covered with the spindren's webs, but how they had been attacked by them so easily wasn't as clear.

Numair called her over to him. "I think they've been given dreamrose, or something remarkably similar, before being trapped by the spidrens. All but one are alive, they're just in a deep sleep."

"Where's the one that has gone to the Black God?" Daine asked. The Riders she had been to had all had a heartbeat.

"Behind the ash tree over there," he pointed in the direction slightly. "I'm afraid the spidrens took an exception to him."

Daine pulled a face. Another moan came from Jarrard, one of the Riders. "He's beginning to wake up," she said, stepping over to the man, "We're going to need a healer and fast, although I don't know how that's going to happen."

"I'll get in touch with Jon and find out where the nearest healer is," he fiddled in his pocket for a vial. "There's wakeflower. Drop a bit on this handkerchief and hold it under their noses. I'm hoping it is dreamrose they've been given, although some look as if they also have broken limbs."

"They may have fallen when the webs broke if they were up high, which I think they were as some of that strange liquid is on the trees…how are you going to speak with Jon?"

"I'll open a window. I'll let him know our location and hope that he can eithertell us where wecan find a healeror get a healer out here," Numair responded and went to find a spot to work.

Daine moved around the group, holding the wakeflower under the noses of the Riders. She stayed with each one until they had come to, warning them not to move just yet. A woman who Daine recognised from the training camp when she had first gone to Pirates' Swoop wakened quicker than the others.

"Is that wakeflower?" she asked Daine, "It's revolting! Why Numair or Harailt couldn't find a way to make it smell better is beyond me."

"I think it's the smell that brings you round," Daine replied. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure. We were eating and then… that's all I can remember, really. How is everyone else?" She looked round, noting the various people moving slightly or still sleeping.

"A man didn't make it. It looks like the spidrens bound you up in their webs. One of them took a liking to your friend," Daine responded as softly as she could. "Everyone else is okay, just broken bones. We need to find a healer before you can all move. Numair's trying to find where the nearest one is. We don't know how bad some of the breaks are."

"I can heal," the woman said quickly. "I'm Nafeesa,"

"I'm Daine…"

"I remember you. We were supposed to be waiting for you to get here to sort out these spidrens. What happened to them?"

"We sorted them out. Are you fit to heal?" Daine inquired.

"I'm fine. I don't feel as if I've fallen. I'll start to check the others."

Daine went to find Numair. He had obviouslyopened a windowto communicate with the king and looked deep in conversation. Daine made herself known by coughing slightly, hoping not to make him jump. He turned around sharply.

"There's a healer with them. Nafeesa. She's well enough to heal," she reported.

Numair nodded and continue with his conversation. Daine returned to the Riders, two of whom besides Nafeesa were now on their feet.

"Where are your mounts?" she asked them.

"I don't remember," one of the male riders told her. "We were sat down eating when it happened. It was if someone came up and dropped something that made us lose consciousness."

Numair had returned and was listening in to the man. "That can happen with dreamrose. If enough of it is spilled then the people who inhale it will automatically lose consciousness. Usually it is given in food or drink, as has happened to Daine."

"We need to find the horses," she told Numair. "They may have seen something. This is more than just spidrens." She reached out with her mind and found them five miles away, next to a river.

_What happened?_ She called out to the head of the herd when he had realised who she was.

_A man came and let a glass thing drop. We ran, we were scared of him. When we came back they were gone,_ he replied in a soft voice.

_What was the man like? _Daine pressed, _did he have fire?_

_Lots of fire. Red fire. We saw that and left,_ the horse told her. She could tell he felt ashamed that he had left his riders.

_It's okay. You did the right thing. The red-fire man is gone now so you can come to us. Your friends are beginning to wake up and they will need you, _she said, trying to reassure him.

She relayed the new information back to Numair, who was doing what he could to help people to be comfortable while Nafeesa, who was beginning to look drained, healed broken limbs and eradicated any infection. Numair looked at her, a worried expression on his face. "A mage with red fire?" he muttered to himself. Daine left him to his musings and continued to help the Riders, who were beginning to move about and piece together all the information they could remember about the ambush.

It was almost dawn by the time the eight remaining riders were fit to move. Daine had sensed no nearby immortals and her tensed muscles had begun to relax slightly although her brain was continuing its realisation that this was what it was going to be like from now on. She looked over at her weary mage, propped against a tree and walked over to him. Some of the Riders were preparing breakfast, while others tended the horses. Two still had to recover from the effects of the dreamrose and the healing, and Nafeesa was sleeping, exhausted and drained from what she had done.

Daine laid her head on Numair's shoulder, watching his chest rise up and down with each breath.

"Are we heading straight back to Corus?" Daine asked him quietly.

"Jon will want us to go back to brief him over what has happened. We will also need to give some thought to who this red mage is. From your description of what the horses saw I don't recognise him, but I suspect he may be from Scanra. They appear to keep the power of some of their mages very quiet to be able to surprise them with us," Numair's voice was quiet yet it still contained an edge to it that disturbed Daine. He was worried.

"We'll be alright, Numair," she comforted, putting her hand in his. He looked at her, taking in her delicate features and smoky brown curls and smiled at her, feeling that gurgle from his heart to his stomach that Daine's presence prompted.

Silently, they watched the scene before them. The dawn had turned into day, and the Rider group having buried and prayed for their colleague and friend has begun to mount and leave for Corus, prompting Daine and Numair's own return back to their king.

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	14. Chapter 13 Confessions

**Narm's Briton 44: **_You'll hopefully enjoy what's coming up in a couple of chapters so keep reading!_

**Skysong the Dragonet: **Hope this is quick enough for you, although you'll be in suspense for a while longer about the red mage.

**Esmerelda 01: **_It generally is everyone else that's the problem. My job would be so much easier if other people weren't involved (Not you guys though! You guys are cool!)_

_**Sonnet Lacewing: **I think our ideas of how certain characters and plots pan out are quite similar. I also like a good twist..._

_**Nativewildmage: **In my next story it will become my mission to kill you with suspense!_

_**Lela-of-Bast: **I would never let all the riders die! Glad you liked it!_

**_Thank you all for reviewing! Please keep reading!_**

_**Disclaimer:**It's not mine!_

Chapter 13 – Confessions

Daine awoke, for once, in her own bed instead of in a camp about to fight some terrifying immortal. Kitten was curled up in a ball on her chair, her things were around her, she could hear the usual noises of the animals that lived in Corus and she could almost believe that everything was back to normal. Almost. Except for the multiple cuts and bruises and a broken rib she had sustained in a coldfang attack. Shuddering at the memory, she decided to do as many normal things as possible while she had the chance. She and Numair had returned the previous day, both somewhat the worst for wear after weeks of travelling to battle against one set of immortals and then another, and there was no sign yet of it stopping. They had spent most of the afternoon of their arrival discussing theories and battle strategies and formalising various plans. The red mage had seemingly disappeared and no one had any ideas of who he might be. But today was Beltane, and Thayet had insisted that the need to carry out the traditional Beltane celebrations were greater this year than any previously. Oddly, Daine was looking forward to the evening; Alanna and George would be there, as would Onua and even Miri and Evin, her friends from one of the Rider groups. It would be the first time in an age that she had seen most of these people, since Numair's birthday in fact.

Thinking of Numair she gave a great sigh that almost woke the sleeping dragon. He made her heart ache when she thought of him. She had feelings for him that were so different to the ones she had for anyone else. She shook her head in disgust at herself. She was not Numair's type; her chest was far too small for a start! But, Daine half-wondered, if the ladies of the court that Numair has been associated with had been his type then why hadn't he already married? She dressed as she thought, pulling on a barely worn pair of clean breeches and a shirt, momentarily enjoying the sensation of clean clothes.

Numair was undoubtedly her best friend; most of her time was spent with him, she knew him as well as she knew herself. It had felt strange, after two months of travelling and camping together, to not have woken up near him this morning. She felt as if something was missing.

Clipping up her hair, she unlocked her door and began to walk to the hall where the Riders would eat, hoping to see some of her friends. She was in luck; Miri sat alone at a table, hungrily eating her way through a plateful of bacon, eggs, tomatoes and other exciting things that weren't readily available whilst away on duty. Daine grabbed the same breakfast for herself and sat down next to her friend. They had seen each other the previous night, but had had no time to catch up privately. Miri smiled impishly at Daine and let out a slight peel of laughter.

"So, Daine, are you going to tell me now what's been eating you up?" she said quietly so none of the others could overhear.

"How did you guess something was the matter?" Daine puzzled.

"You kept searching for some private girly time last night and every time Numair, Evin or George appeared you looked like thunder! What's on your mind? I, for once, am perfectly content!"

Daine smiled gratefully at Miri. Her friend had come along way since they had first met when Miri had been terrified of horses. "I'm not sure where to start…" Daine began.

"How about telling me who it involves, although I'm sure I could make a good guess!" Miri helped.

"Who, then?" Daine prompted.

"Your exceptionally delicious teacher, who else?" Daine looked open-mouthed at Miri. "Well," Miri continued, "He's pretty much the only person you've spent time with for the past eight weeks, so it must be. Unless you're going to tell me you're in love with a basilisk?"

"No, it is about Numair," Daine whispered as firmly as she could, "But I didn't say I was in love with him!"

"Does he make you feel as if your heart was so heavy it could fall out?" Daine nodded.

"Do you get inexcusably jealous when he talks to other women, including ones he'd never be interested in in a million years?" Daine nodded again. It was safe telling Miri.

"Do you keep finding excuses to touch him whenever possible and you can't deny that Daine because I saw you doing just that last night!" Daine had been going to deny it, but instead she kept her mouth close and looked at the table. Miri was right.

"Do you keep imagining him naked?" Daine went red. "Miri…" she began to squeak.

"It's normal. I kept imagining Evin naked for ages before…well. How serious do you think you are about him?"

Daine bit her lip. She was desperate to tell someone. "No one else can hold a candle to him, Miri. It's not just how he looks, its him, the way he is, the way he knows me…" Daine let out a lengthy sigh.

Miri stood up, gather up her dishes. "I think you should at least drop him a hint!" she advised.

"He's years older! And I doubt he feels the same, although he did say once that he thought of me _that_ way, as in more than just a friend, but he was drunk…"

"Numair drunk? I didn't think he did, I thought it interfered with his gift?" Miri sat back down.

"It does. But it was his birthday and …" Daine began.

"You don't have to defend him!" Miri chuckled. "Sometimes the truth emerges when someone's had a drink, so don't discount what he said…" Miri stopped as their topic of conversation appeared behind Daine.

"Er, Daine -excuse me, Miri - are you alright to go over some maps? Finish your breakfast first, of course. I'll meet you in my study, if you're okay with that?" he started to stutter ever so slightly at the end, somewhat nervous as he thought he might have been the topic of conversation due to the rapidity of how Miri stopped speaking.

Miri watched them, their eyes not leaving each other, Numair standing closer to Daine than anyone else would. She smiled, waited for him to leave, and lent over to her friend. "_I_ certainly don't doubt that he feels the same," she said in a low voice. And with that she left Daine to finish her breakfast while she went to carry out her usual duties.

Numair headed back to his rooms armed with a plate of bacon and thick slices of fresh bread. His thoughts skipped between maps and images of Veralidaine Sarrasri. He was so lost in them he narrowly missed Alanna who was rushing down the stairs.

"For Mithros' sake, Numair! Will you get you head out of the clouds for long enough to not cause a small accident!" She cried in annoyance.

"Sorry," he murmured meekly. Alanna was one of his favourite people as long as it wasn't in the morning. Then she was like a bear with a sore paw. She turned around and walked with him towards his rooms.

"Is everything alright, Alanna?" Numair asked her once he realised she was accompanying him.

"It was you I was looking for," she replied. "Just wanted a chat seeing as I hadn't seen you for ages and that we have some time before someone or something starts to try to kill us again."

Numair racked his brains for a second, wondering if there was anything in particular that Alanna would want him for. Nothing sprang to mind. He opened the door to his palace rooms and let Alanna in. She sat down on a chaise longue and put her feet up casually. Numair turned his desk chair around and faced her. "How are the children?" he enquired.

"They're good. Staying with their grandma. They're safe enough there," she replied in the soft tone she usually reserved for Thom, Alan and Alyanne. "It's so nice to have most people here, even if it's just for one night. George, Onua, Jon and Thayet, Gary, Raoul, you and _Daine_," she emphasized Daine's name. Numair suddenly clicked what this conversation was going to be about.

"Okay, Alanna, ask what you want to know," he chuckled at her.

"Have you told her yet?" she asked.

"Told her what?" Numair feigned ignorance.

"How you feel about her? How _do_ you feel about her? Have you realised yet?" Alanna smiled irritatingly at him.

Numair rolled his eyes.

"Are you in love with her?" Alanna asked, too politely.

"What would it matter if I was, Alanna? I'm fourteen years older than her. I'm her teacher. I'm not allowed to be in love with her, am I?" he laughed as he said the words, although they cut him to the bone.

"Calm down, Numair. You're lucky you've not got Thayet here, grilling you as well," Alanna said, matter-of-factly. "You _are_ allowed to be in love with her, which you obviously are."

Numair sighed and blushed slightly. "She doesn't feel the same, Alanna."

"How do you know that? Personally, I think she feels exactly the same as you," again, Alanna's tone was down-to-earth. "She adores you, Numair, and I want to know what you're going to do about it."

"At the moment, nothing," Numair said bluntly.

"Why?" Alanna asked sharply.

"Because, my Lioness, now is not the right time. We're in the middle of a war. Emotions are charged. The time to deal with my feelings will be when all this has ended. And besides, Alanna, what if you're wrong? What if she thinks of me as a favourite uncle and is repulsed by the fact I'm in love with her? She'll never want to speak to me again and I will have lost my friend," Numair's eyes glazed over and Alanna realised that perhaps for the third time since she had known him his eyes had filled with tears.

"So you'd rather go on like this? What if she meets someone else and she settles for him, thinking you'd never want her? What if she's thinking that you'll never return her feelings because you're her teacher and you'll think she's too young for you…"

Numair recognised when Alanna was about to start on a long, righteous rant. "Look, Alanna," he interrupted firmly. "I hope that Daine feels the same for me. Sometimes I think she may. But I'm not forcing anything. I'll wait until it happens. I'm just hoping that it does happen."

Alanna watched him carefully. "Good. You know that you're in love with her. Thayet and I just wanted to know that you'd realised," Alanna smiled at him. "We are having a wager as to when you'll get together."

Numair groaned. "I really don't know how Jon and George put up with you two!" He hung his head, slightly embarrassed and began to laugh.

Daine could hear a woman's laughter peeling out of Numair's door. She found a pool of jealousy begin to well inside her and remembered Miri's words. It would be something innocent, she knew. She opened the door, which was slightly ajar, and found Alanna sitting on the chaise longue. Daine felt an immediate sense of relief.

"Numair," Daine said rather shyly. "You said to come to see you about some maps?"

Alanna watched as the pair regarded each other. Numair's attention was now focused solely on Daine and Daine's body language spoke volumes for Alanna. One finger was wrapping around a curl, her lips were ever-so-slightly pouting, the other hand was resting softly against her waist and her eyes were focused only on him.

_Oh, for the love of the Goddess!_ Alanna cursed in her mind. _I should have let George lock them in a room together ages ago. If they've not sorted this after we've done with this blessed, rotten barrage of immortals then I **am** going to get involved!_

Alanna stood up, eyeing Numair knowingly. "Right, I'm going to leave you two to get down to it and find Thayet. We'll have more interesting things to talk about than maps! See you at the Beltane celebrations!" Alanna left the room, chuckling to herself at the puzzled silence she was leaving behind.

"What was all that about?" Daine asked the mage, taking Alanna's seat.

"Just Alanna being her usual self, I suppose," Numair said vaguely.

"She's fair strange sometimes," Daine smiled, causing Numair's heart to melt once more and pray to every god he could think of that Alanna was right and Daine did return his feelings.

Alanna found herself grinning mischievously as she walked quickly to Thayet's quarters. She walked into the private living room of the king and queen of Tortall without knocking. "Thayet! I've had a chat with Numair!" she called.

Thayet's head popped out from an adjoining room. "Two seconds, Alanna. Jon's gotten stuck in a pair of breeches and I'm having to help him out of them."

"Did you have to tell her that?" Alanna heard a rather irate and frustrated Jonathan berate his wife. "She'll be telling Mithros knows who about it!"

Alanna chuckled quietly, listening to various curses erupt from the king's mouth and Thayet's attempts to pacify him.

"Finally! I'm freed from the wretched things!" Jon cried and Thayet appeared, sighing with relief.

"Not quite sure what happened with those breeches," Thayet said, sitting down near Alanna.

"Did you make them yourself?" Alanna enquired.

"Hmmm. I think Jon will be asking Kuri to make his clothes after that though. What did Numair say?" Thayet was keener on gossip than most of the servants in the palace.

"He admitted that he's in love with her," Alanna told her. She felt more like a girl when she was gossiping with Thayet than as almost any other time.

"Finally!" Thayet said with relief. "So, is he going to tell her?"

Alanna shook her head. "He's going to see how it goes. He's still worried about her reaction."

"Whose reaction?" Jonathan entered the room, obviously more comfortable in different breeches.

"Numair with Daine," Thayet informed him.

"What about them?" Jon enquired blankly.

"Numair's in love with her," Thayet said dryly without looking at her husband.

Jon gazed open mouthed at his wife. Alanna stifled a laugh.

"Really? He's admitted it? I know you've told me before that you thought something could go on there and they do seem very fond of each other. I think I disturbed them having a moment when Daine was recovering from unicorn fever; but I did wonder how much you were making up for your own amusement."

Thayet jabbed him with her foot. "You should know by now that I don't make up things like that! What happened when you interrupted them? What were they doing exactly and why haven't you told me this before?"

Jonathan shrugged annoyingly. "Shouldn't you be off now, pestering Daine about how she feels?"

Thayet simplyglared.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please review! That's what makes my day!


	15. Chapter 14 Beltane

_**Lela-of-Bast: **I like playing with Jon too. He's so much fun. _

_**Skysong the Dragonet:** Sorry, you'll have to wait for more about the Red Mage._

_**Nativewildmage: **Miri was difficult to write as she's not in it (Sonnet Lacewing will correct me if I'm wrong! I'm sure she's got the whole series memorized!) after WM. I was a fun chapter to do though._

_**Kawaiigemini**: I have only read the Tortall books, from Alanna to Trickster's Queen. If your stuck for finding them try amazon. I got all my Alanna's from there (The US editions, as the English additions are out of of print)_

_**Sonnet Lacewing: **I loved having Jon stuck in breeches. That bit completely wrote itself, I had no plan for it, it just kind of happened._

Disclaimer: Anything you recognise belong to Tamora Pierce.

Chapter 14 – Beltane

The Beltane fires were to be lit as dusk fell, followed by the traditional celebrations and offerings to the Goddess and then the feast. Daine was relieved that so far they hadn't been called away to deal with any new threat. She was, however, apprehensive about the actual Beltane celebrations. It was tradition for couples to jump over the embers of the dying fires to bring them fertility and good fortune for the coming year. Alanna and George would both complete the rituals, as would Thayet and Jonathan. Neither she nor Numair would be expected to join in this, or to pick blossoms in the meadows before sundown to offer to the Goddess, but for some reason she felt worried. Daine was certain that for her Beltane would not be a chance for her to be found a husband, although other girls of her age and younger might look for a man tonight. Settling down in a seat next to her desk she allowed herself a daydream in which she and Numair were jumping over the embers and collecting flowers together, although he would certainly be informing her of the correct names and healing properties of each flower. She giggled out loud at this, waking herself from her daydream, and being hit by the realisation that it wasn't going to happen. Daine sighed wistfully; once more feeling dreaded anticipation in the pit of her belly.

Numair wandered outside into the palace grounds. People from Corus were invited to spend Beltane in the enormous fields and meadows that belonged to the palace. These places were becoming fuller than he was used to seeing them as preparations were made for the bonfires and stalls that would sell various charms and such.

He sat down next to an old tree that was draped in new leaves and tipped his head back onto its trunk. The expression on his face was not a happy one, it was not even the expression of a face that was deep in thought and if any of his friends saw him they would realise that Numair Salmalin was quite unhappy. Beltane was the festival that emphasized being in a couple the most; and this year he was not. In the distance he could see Alanna and George running out into the meadows to collect flowers. Jon and Thayet were probably doing the same. Everywhere he could hear and see couples together, celebrating Beltane and the birth of summer. For the first time since he had come to Corus he had no lover to enjoy the festival with. The solitude didn't bother him, it was the reason behind the solitude; he was too much in love with someone he couldn't tell to even be able to court anyone else. He looked up and saw that someone was running down towards him. His heart pounded and the expression on his face altered as the runner sat down next to him.

For a moment neither said anything, they just enjoyed each other's presence. Then Numair began to hear her speak in sweet, low tones.

"Beltane always makes me think of the night I was made," she said. "I always think more at this time of year about who my da is," she looked at him. He saw no sorrow in her face as he looked in her eyes, she had passed that now. She could talk easily to him about this topic and had done several times while they had been travelling.

"Whoever he is, Daine, he's missed out. You'd have made him proud," Numair smiled at her.

She smiled back, not replying to his statement. "Will you be jumping over the embers tonight?" She inquired.

Numair laughed and shook his head, not trusting himself to say anything.

She looked at him carefully. "Is there someone you wish you were with?" She asked softly.

He looked up at her. "Is there someone you wish _you_ were with?" He answered back, holding her gaze. The look went on for longer than it should have. Daine felt the overwhelming urge to lean in and kiss him. Everything else had disappeared; the fires, couples, even the animals had gone, only her and Numair were there. It was if time had stood still. His eyes held every inch of her body, causing goosebumps to rise over her skin. The sound of the trumpet broke their look.

"That's the call for the jumping of the embers. Jon and Thayet will do it first in order to be ready for the feast. Everyone else's fires will burn much later," Numair said softly. "We should go or we'll be missed.

Daine stood up with him, quickly gathering a few of the purple flowers that were scattered around them. "I may not wish to be fertile in the coming year, but I hope Tortall's soils are!" She explained.

"The flowers you have are called heartsease or banwort," he began to inform her. "They are used to help people who have illnesses with the heart, or are sad within their heart."

Daine laughed lightly, wondering if they could cure her own malady. They wandered slowly over to the top of the hill where their friends were congregating, preparing for the ritual of jumping over the embers of the first Beltane fire. A gathering of people had clustered around them, consisting of some of the Riders who had been called back to the palace, the palace workers and many of the residents of Corus who had been invited. Some people were dressed in their finest summer clothes, others had come in costumes, flowers wreathed around them and paint on their faces. Daine stood shyly next to Numair as Jon and Thayet prepared to be the first to jump over the still hot embers. Other fires had been lit across the fields where other groups were participating in the same ritual. She could hear Alanna and George giggling as they jumped over the dying fire, and saw Alanna lighting a torch from the embers to light the hearth in their palace room, which would then be kept burning until next Beltane.

Other couples followed suit. Daine watched, still standing close to Numair. Any traces of sunlight had now been erased from the sky, leaving a pattern of stars that she was sure Numair would have her studying before the night was through. Both Numair and Daine turned around simultaneously at taps on their shoulders.

"Thayet!" Numair exclaimed.

"Are you two not going to participate?" Thayet asked with a gleam in her eye. She was glared at from both. "Oh, come on! Onua and Sarge have jumped together - probably asking for lots of decent horses – and there's nothing going on there! You should jump and ask for the Goddess's blessing on Tortall and a fruitful year. It doesn't have to be for you!"

Numair looked at Daine, dreaming up ways to get a suitable revenge on Thayet. Daine smiled at him and held out her hand. "Thayet will have us out here until Midsummer unless we join in," she said softly. Numair took her hand, both of them sending one last look to Thayet, who by this time was fighting a fit of laughter. She managed to smile sweetly at them and watched them approach the dying flames.

Daine looked at Numair and found him looking at her. "We'll find away to kill Thayet later!" She whispered, gathering up her own skirts with only slightly more grace than Alanna had managed to muster. As they jumped, Daine found herself asking the Goddess not only for Tortall's bounty for the next year, but that at the next Beltane she would be jumping the embers with the same man.

There were fewer in the banqueting hall than Daine had seen before, merely twenty people who had had the luck to be in Corus over Beltane. Numair noticed Daine glancing round the room, recognising familiar faces.

"Make the most of it, Magelet," he told her. "There is every chance that we will be called away again tomorrow, or even tonight, so I wouldn't drink too much wine, just in case."

"After the last time I had wine…" Daine shuddered at the memory of the headache she'd had the day after Numair's birthday. Numair smiled wistfully, recalling that day and the words that they had exchanged between them at the end of the evening. _Don't get your hopes up, _he told himself. _She was drunk. She didn't mean what she said._ But he still couldn't help wondering.

Very few of people were touching the wine. Most were of the same mind as Numair; anything could happen that evening, so it would be best to have a clear head in case it did. The meal was very much to Daine's taste; chicken and fresh vegetables, nothing particularly fancy, but probably all the more appreciated since most people had been living off camp food for the past two months.

Dancing followed the food. Generally, Beltane was the most boisterous of all the festivals as it celebrated the year that had gone and the year that was to come, usually with much flirting, cavorting and courting, but this year it was relatively quiet. Even outside where the residents of Corus were still surrounding the fires, the current situation had put a dampener on things. Daine still found herself dancing. George grabbed her first, twirling her round and round.

"So I see you an' your storkman jumped over the embers together!" Daine heard him whisper in her ear. "That'll give the gossips an interesting time!"

"Thayet practically ordered us to!" Daine hissed back, feeling herself go red.

"An' I saw plenty of protestin' goin' on from both of ye!"

Daine glared at him, not quite knowing how to reply. She heard George laugh quietly and the dance came to an end. He returned her to where she had been sitting with Numair, who was looking a little miserable, sat alone.

"Here ye are, Storkman. I'm bringin' back your Magelet," George said to the lanky mage.

"Curse Cloud for calling me that!" he muttered, directing a rather unkind look at George. George merely grinned and went over to Alanna who was calling him.

"Do you want to dance, Numair?" Daine asked, wondering what was wrong with her friend.

Numair looked up at her, his expression slightly happier. "If you want to, Daine," he took hold of her hand and stood up.

They moved across the dance floor to the music, Daine knowing the dance as well as Numair. Again, she felt the same sensation she had had by the tree, that no one else existed. Each time she looked into his deep, brown eyes she felt like she was being pulled further in. Numair held her tighter than George had; his clasp was firmer and his eyes never left her. For a moment, she wondered whether Miri was right and Numair did have feelings for her. He brought her closer as the music changed to a slower beat. Daine sensed something was still troubling Numair, but she didn't know quite what. Her head rested into his shoulder and she heard his heart beating rhythmically. She breathed, taking in the scent of his spices. His chin rested gently on her head and she found she felt incredibly safe. Safe, apart from the fact that her heart was beating so fervently in her chest she thought it might pop out.

"Daine! Daine!" She heard Onua's voice calling her. Numair released his hold and Daine turned towards Onua. "What is it?" She asked her friend with a worried tone.

"It's Kitten, she's…gone!"

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Please review!

This chapter and the research I did about Beltane has really made me want to do a oneshot for each of the main festivals once Daine and Numair are together. Hmmm.


	16. Chapter 15 Mothers

**Lela-of-Bast: **I actually hadto get off my lazy hide and do some research for that so I'm glad you enjoyed it!

**Nativewildmage:** They would never had protested. The only two people who haven't realised thay're in love is themselves.

**Sonnet Lacewing: **I love writing fluffy chapters like that, ones with lots of thoughts and feelings. There's some action coming up, first time I written something like this so con crit will be useful!

A/N: **Disclaimer: It all belongs to Tamora Pierce so don't sue me!**

Chapter 15 – Mothers

Daine, Numair and almost everyone else present in the room at the time of Onua's announcement searched the palace thoroughly. No sign of Kitten was to be found.

"Where was she when you last saw her?" Numair queried Daine who was looking extremely upset.

"She'd gone with Tkaa for the evening. I thought she would have been at the banquet, but I just assumed that she and Tkaa had been caught up in learning some new trick…" Panic was now starting to set in.

Numair looked around for the basilisk. "Where is Tkaa?" he demanded, somewhat impatiently.

"He's coming!" The king called from the back of the growing crowd.

The tall immortal walkedintothe room, deep concern flooding his eyes.

"Have you seen Kitten?" Daine called to him, her voice penetrating the noisy room.

The basilisk shook his head. "I asked Onua if she was in the hall with you, that's when we realised she was lost. She left the kitchens awhile ago to go to you, just before the banquet began," Tkaa informed them.

"So she's gone missing in the space of one hall way – between the kitchens and the banqueting hall," Numair said in a low voice. "Jon," he called to the king. "Can we meet now in your room?"

The king must have agreed as Daine felt gentle hands lead her to the king's study. Alanna, George, Onua, Harailt and Thayet joined them.

"What's happened to her?" Daine asked, tears filling hr eyes.

"I think she's been taken," Numair said softly, his hand not leaving hers. "Daine, you and I can shape-shift. We can cover the ground much quicker that way. I doubt anyone will have gotten far with our Kitten," he reassured her.

Jonathan nodded at the young woman with smoky-brown curls. "Kitten is highly important to us all, Daine. We on the ground will start to search for her. We'll keep in touch with you and Numair."

Daine nodded and stood up. "Let's get started then," she said numbly as she exited the room, Numair close behind her.

Daine took owl shape as she flew over the palace grounds, her sharp eyes picking up any slight movements. Numair followed. His eyesight as a hawk was also good, and his presence comforted Daine. She called to the other night creatures and birds around her and asked them to help her locate Kitten. Just before Daine felt as if she could go on no longer, she heard the voice of a male nightjar speak to her. Practically dropping straight to the ground, she managed to steady herself enough to listen.

_The dragon is near the big lake, _the bird told her. _She is where the red berries grow at the end of summer._ Daine thanked him gratefully. Shifting her head to human, she relayed what he had said to Numair. Almost in tandem, they landed on soft ground, Numair by a tree, where he regained his human form, staying hidden so that Daine was spared blushing. He sent a speech spell to Alanna.

"Daine," he whispered quietly from behind the large oak's trunk. "We'll fly there. When we get there do you think you could shape shift into a lion or a tiger, for example, and hinder the person who's taken her?"

Owl-Daine nodded, hooting her agreement loudly. They resumed their flight, the wind assisting them in the correct direction. Daine caught sight of her dragon being carried by a tall, dark-haired man. Her sharp owl ears could hear Kit's cross screeches and wails. _He must have drugged her to get her away from the palace_, Daine thought as she swooped down, _there's no other way we wouldn't have heard her._

Rapidly changing her form to that of a female tiger, Daine began to silently pursue the man. She realised that she was going to have to be cautious, as there was every chance that the man would be a mage. Kit had fallen silent, and Daine wondered if she had noticed Daine's presence.

"There's a good dragon," she heard the man say, "The master will be most pleased with me for bringing you!"

Staying in the shadows she began to creep up close to him.

"He is no mage," she heard in her ear. Numair had managed to send her a speaking spell. "I can't detect any gift."

Her hind legs prepared to spring upon him. In a flash the man was face down on the ground, a heavy tiger pinning him onto the floor and growling deeply at him. Daine allowed Kitten to wriggle herself free. She was seemingly unhurt, just very, very cross and upset. Daine fought the urge to go to her and hoped Numair would be able to get to her soon. The young dragon had a bond with the mage that was second only to the one she had with Daine.

Daine heard the man whimper and pray to the Gods for assistance. She growled louder and deeper than she had before, venting her anger at him with the noise. She needed to keep him pinned down until Alanna or someone got there. _Surely she should be here soon, _Daine thought, impatiently.

It felt like an eternity until Alanna arrived with a group of the Own. Daine was able to release the kidnapper into the arms of Raoul and nuzzle Kitten with her tiger's muzzle, not wanting to lose shape and be naked in front of all the people now there.

Numair appeared, now dressed and bearing a pile of clothes. He deposited the clothes behind a large spruce, informing Daine that they were there for her to change into. He picked up the small dragon, tenderly holding her close to his chest and murmuring soft words to her. Daine found herself transfixed by his actions, it opened up a whole new realm of thought in her mind. She stopped seeing him as a great war mage, as an academic mind and saw him purely as a man. When he stepped towards her, once she was fully clothed, and handed her Kitten this new realisation overwhelmed her. Numair was a man who should one day be a husband and a father, like Jon, like George; and Daine, clutching a quietened Kitten tightly to her, no longer felt like the little girl from Galla, and she wondered if she could be in that part of Numair's future.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, gently stroking Kitten's back. Daine felt her lip quiver and tears spill rapidly down her cheeks. Numair pulled woman and dragon into his arms and held them, letting Daine cry herself out.

"It wasn't your fault," he said in her ear. "Tkaa kept her in the kitchens until the banquet started. They were seeing what magic she could do around food. She went out in to the hall between the kitchens and the hall where Arvid," he pointed to the man now being tightly held by the Lioness, "fed her some sweets which I think must have contained something along the lines of dreamrose, and then he took her."

"Why?" Daine asked, angrily, "What would he want with Kitten?"

"We're not sure yet. I imagine Jon will find out when they get him back to the palace."

Daine snuggled closer into Numair. She could feel Kitten's heart and Numair's heart beating almost in chorus. "I'm not letting her out of my sight again!" she said, some anguish still echoing in her voice.

"Don't be silly, Magelet. It really isn't your fault. Cloud's here with Spots. She'll take you back. Then you need to go to bed and sleep," Numair reassured her again, his lips gently brushing the top of her head then leading her to the horses.

Numair took Daine and Kitten straight to her rooms, wishing for the hundredth time that they could simply go back to his where he could look after them properly. He turned his back as Daine changed into his old shirt that she had used for sleeping in since she had had unicorn fever. She slumped into her slim bed, holding Kitten to her. Numair hutched up beside her and found himself stroking her curls absent-mindedly. Her head was resting against his chest and her eyes were half closed.

"Is Kitten alright?" he asked her, breaking the gentle silence that held them. "She seems none the worse for wear now she's back with you."  
Kitten wriggled out of Daine's grip and went to Numair, squeezing in between him and Daine. She cooed lowly at him, her colour quite returned to normal now.

"She's fine," Daine smiled up at him. "Enjoying the fact that she will get a fair bit of attention for the next few days. I really don't want to think about what would have happened if we hadn't found her."

"You don't have to, Magelet. You did find her," Numair watched her, guilt still unnecessarily straining at her face.

"I was lost once when I was a boy," he chuckled. "My mother probably wasn't as glad to get me back though!"

"What happened?" she asked Numair. He rarely said much about his childhood, appearing to have discarded it when he changed his name from Draper to Salmalin.

Numair continued, happy to take her mind away from Kitten's possible fate.

"My father," Numair began, "Took me into town one afternoon as my mother wanted various bits of material buying to make a new bedspread that someone had ordered and I was probably getting in her way, trying to use magic to make it quicker than she could."

"I can imagine that! I have sympathy for your mother," Daine interrupted.

"My father had a penchant for ale, which was why my mother was carrying on the business and not him, and he decided before we went home that he was going to spend a pleasant hour in his favourite inn. He took me with him, gave me a glass of juice, ordered me to behave myself and then he went to sit at the bar and poured out his troubles to the barmaid," Numair rolled his eyes. Daine knew by now that Numair had very little respect for his father, although words of praise coming from him had been what he had clung to.

"This was not an unusual occurrence by any means. As he became increasingly inebriated I became ever more bored. So I slipped off into the town and into a rather esoteric book store where I spent an interesting few hours immersed in some rather illuminating books," Numair smiled at the memory of the books.

"So when did your da realise you had gone?" Daine prompted as Numair's eyes glazed over, recalling the books he had read.

"He didn't. He completely forgot that I had ever been with him and happily stumbled home, also forgetting the bag of material my mother had sent him out for. When he did arrive home, he was duly berated by my mother and told to go back and fetch the material from the inn. She hadn't noticed that I wasn't there, she was overworked by running the business on her own with no support from my father, so she had probably just assumed that I had gone straight upstairs to read. The poor shop girl, whose job it was to lock up at night, took me home once the shop had closed. She found me curled up under a pile of books, reading about the use of baneberry as an alternative to wakeflower, and its dual usage as it can also be used as a poison…"

Daine smiled at his ramblings. He caught the smile and realised its meaning. "The girl let me keep the book as I think she felt sorry for me. When she had heard why I had left my father she seemed quite upset for me."

"What did your ma and da say when you got in? Weren't they worried about you at all?" Daine asked, knowing if that she had gone missing as a small child her mother would have been sick with worry.

"They were cross that I hadn't stayed where I had been told and my father gave me the beating to end all beatings. I was six at the time, and they knew, of course, that I had the gift; it was decided then that I would go to the university as soon as possible. My poor mother wept a river afterwards."

Daine smiled up at him, her hand squeezing his thigh in sympathy as well as for the joy of touching him. "For some reason I always thought that your parents adored you and spoilt you rotten. You make it sound completely the opposite."

"Oh, they did adore me in their own way. I certainly didn't want for anything. I was never given much attention; they were too busy dealing with their own problems to focus much on me and I suppose they didn't really know what to do with children either, especially me. I was bright and had the gift, which almost built a brick wall between my father and I from an early age," he explained to her, trying not to concentrate too much on the effect her hand was having.

"You write to them, don't you?" Daine asked quietly, trying to not disturb Kitten who was now asleep.

"Yes, but never about what I actually do. I tell them more about the people I'm with, like Jon and Alanna, things that they can relate to. I think they'll be happier when I marry. That will be something they could really grasp and approve of then. Although I will never take after my father in how he's been as a husband and a father," Numair laughed lightly, patting Kitten's back soothingly.

Daine had a million and one question swimming in her head to ask him about. Mainly about who he would marry.

"So you do want to marry and be a da yourself one day?" She asked in a tired voice.

"Hopefully, Magelet. With the right woman," he kissed the top of her head tenderly as she began to fall asleep, wishing her peaceful dreams.

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	17. Chapter 16 Heroes

_**Skysong the Dragonet: **Thank you. I'm not going to cover the events of RotG in here, but I am writing about post-RotG in my next fic, A Stepping State, which will probabaly start on sunday or monday. There's more about the red mage in here!_

_**Tanaka Sorano: **I'm glad you like it, that was a big compliment, thank you._

_**Lela-of-Bast: **I quite like the idea of terrorising Numair!_

_**Esmerelda 01: **Consider I've bowed. Thank you._

_**Nativewildmage: **I loved the quote. It is so appropriate for Daine and Numair._

_**Kawaiigemini: **I'm glad I help your day!_

_**Sonnet Lacewing: **Thank you for all your help! I'm sure I'll continue to pester you for advice. I can identify with your son, by the way. A book store has thousands of theme parks for the mind in it._

_**Moiraine: **I am glad I've helped. Good luck with your tests and your concert._

_A/N: All characters were invented by TP. The one who was not would probably have been created by her anyway, she just had a better idea. Don't sue._

Chapter 16 – Heroes

Numair left her room to head to the king's study and find out what had happened to Arvid and whom this "master" was. He felt he should have gone there straight away, to see what he needed to do, but for his peace of mind he had needed to be with Daine and Kitten to see that they were both okay.

On walking into the room he discovered the usual participants in meetings like this. Alanna, Harailt, Lindhall, Jon and even George this time. The room quietened as he entered, all eyes focusing in on him.

"How are they both?" George asked him, obviously they had all realised that he had been with Daine.

"Kitten is seeming fine. She'd have found a way to tell us if she wasn't, although it won't do any harm to have Tkaa check on her in the morning. Daine's feeling shaken and guilty," he informed them, wondering about their opinions on the fact that he had obviously been spending time in Daine's room, at night.

"She has no reason whatsoever to feel guilty about anything," Jon said, a menacing tone tainting his voice, as if he was daring anyone to say anything different.

"What's happened with Arvid?" Numair asked.

"He gave in after two minutes of interrogation," Alanna said, in disgust. "A mage he says he didn't know paid him to take Kitten and take her to him."

"Do we have any idea of who the mage might be? I know we questioned whether it might be Inar Hadensra? Numair?" Jon interrupted.

Numair shook his head. "The horses can see in colour, but they find it difficult to actually distinguish red from similar colours. We think it was a brown-red shade, a burgundy and Hadensra's magic is a deep ruby. What else did you find out from him, Alanna?"

"That was as much as we could get out of him between sobs. He's now very shaken and worried, and every time we question him further he breaks down." She replied.

"Did you check for a gagging spell?" Numair asked hurriedly. "Which ever mage it was may have spelled him so that cries when he is pressed to give information. It'll make what he says incoherent."

Alanna shook her head. "I didn't think of doing that. Arvid is not an intelligent man, I took it as being his true reaction."

"What cell is he being held in?" Numair pressed.

"Number five, I think…"

Numair stood up and rushed out, ignoring the calls behind him telling him to wait. He practically jumped the whole of the staircase down to the cells, desperate to get hold of the mage who had caused Daine such anguish.

He forced the door open with a blaze of black light and pushed Arvid onto the wall. Searching him with his gift, he found what he had suspected; a pocket of burgundy magic containing a gagging spell. It was the work of seconds to undo it, barely concealed and poor quality, a spell that a teenager could muster quite easily.

"Right," Numair began in an icy cold voice. "Which mage paid you to take Skysong? If you tell me quickly I might not hurt you."

Arvid shuddered, visibly afraid of the black robe mage whom many rumours had circulated about.

"He…he…he had dark hair and pale white skin. He was so white he looked sick…" Arvid stuttered.

"What colour was his magic?" Numair demanded. From that description it certainly wasn't Inar Hadensra, unless he had taken to dying his hair.

"A mucky red. Like wine," Arvid replied. Numair felt confused. He would have assumed that it would have been a well renowned mage who had attempt to take Kitten, but Arvid's description did not provoke any memories in his mind. He knew that if the mage was Scanran then he might not know of him.

"I'm going to look into your mind and look into your memory of him. This might help to undo some of the distress you've helped cause," quickly Numair placed his hands on the man's head and found the picture he had been looking for. The mage was unrecognisable, totally unknown to Numair. Numair figured that he must just be a fairly poor mage trying to be a hero and help in attacking Tortall. He released his hands from Arvid's head and heard the man sigh with relief.

"Where did he tell you to take the dragon to?" Numair's voice was calm and steady, but still he held Arvid against the cold cell wall.

"There's a cave just outside of Corus, where sometimes a man might take a lady he was courtin'. He told me to go there tonight as it'd be quiet with it being Beltane an' all so people would be out in the fields instead."

"Did he say why he wanted the dragon?" Numair released his grip slightly.

"Only that he had to get her before sundown the day after Beltane if he was to get the best price for her. He said he would be at the cave for me till sunrise. Am I going to be hung, Master Salmalin?" He asked pitifully.

"No, just thrown into the deepest crevasse I can find," Numair muttered, throwing the man down onto the wooden plank that was a bed and leaving the cell, locking the door with a spell that even Alanna would find difficult to undo.

He grabbed Spots from the stables and mounted the horse, anger running through his veins. _Daine and Kitten are both fine, why are you acting like this?_ He reasoned with himself. _Because I should have protected them, because Daine was hurt and I need to find a way to make it better, because I love her and I need to prove to myself that I am worthy of loving her._ He rode quickly. He knew the cave the man had talked of; a hundred years or so ago it had been said to contain the semi-precious stone smoky quartz, which was rumoured to be useful in the art of seduction. Hopefully he would get there just before the sun rose if he rode fast enough. Telling Spots that this was for Daine he urged his mount to go as fast as possible. After what seemed the longest time he saw the cave in the distance. Halting Spots, he dismounted and cloaked himself with a faint fog that would buy him a minute or two before another mage would pick up on his gift. It was a trick he had often used at the university in Carthak when he had wanted to sneak up on somebody, at that time it had often been Varice.

The cave was barricaded with a thin burgundy veil of magic. Numair carefully tested it with his own. He was beginning to derive a conclusion and realising that this was definitely the same mage who had drugged the Rider company. He doubted that the mage was going to be particularly powerful; all his spells so far had appeared feeble and predictable, he had seen nothing that feared him, and the mage would not be expecting him, but Arvid with the dragon. Anger welled up in him again as he thought of Daine's distress when she had found out that Kitten had gone. He blasted through the veil, black smoke mingling with the burgundy.

A man faced him. His skin was the colour of milk, made all the more paler by the shock of black hair that sat upon his head. A purple robe immersed his bony frame. Numair thought that his features looked Scanran, he was certain that he had never met him at any point before.

"Well, Master Salmalin," the man spoke in a quiet, mild voice. "He said you'd come. You do like to act out the hero, don't you?"

Realisation hit Numair. It hadn't been Kitten they'd wanted, it had been him. Without him and Daine Tortall would be severely weakened and much more open to attack from the Copper Isles and Scanra. He sent a bolt of magic at the mage, who laughed as it bounced away, leaving him untouched.

"You see, Salmalin, I know everything about you. Whereas for you, I am an unknown quantity." He swiftly raised his hand and a bolt of dirty red lightning struck Numair, jolting him backwards, forcing him against the jagged cave wall. Numair felt a sharp pain rip through his back as a serrated rock pierced his skin. He got to his feet; forcing himself to ignore the pain and the blood he could feel running down his skin. If he died now he would never be able to help his country, Daine would never know how he felt and he would never have the future that he wished for.

He eyes the laughing mage before him. _Somewhere there will be a weak spot_, he thought. _I am a black robe mage. I would have eaten him on toast at university._

"Who are you?" Numair asked him, his brain itching with ideas.

"I am Osric Ragenhere. Did you want to know the name of the man who would kill you?" He said in his laughing voice.

"I'll go to the realms of the dead when its time, Osric Ragenhere, and certainly not at your hands!" Numair said steadily, bracing himself. He said a word under his breath and open up his palm. A black ball fell over Ragenhere, caging him. Then the ball shattered and vaporized. Almost immediately Numair felt as if he had been punched in his chest and stomach by a spell that was too quick for him to see. He returned, throwing a block of his magic at the mage, knocking him into the wall behind him.

Ragenhere laughed, although Numair knew he must have been in pain. His opponent freed a burgundy flash of light from his fist that grew larger as it got to Numair, looking as if it was going to swallow him whole. Numair shielded himself with his own black fire, dispersing the red into the cave walls. He held his two hands up; in between them shone a ball, black interspersed with fragments of silver.

Ragenhere shook his head. "I thought the great Tortallian black robe mage was much greater than a mere Nalian Ball. Do you not dare attempt to kill me?"

Numair let the ball bounce, Ragenhere held up his hands as it came towards him and his magic caused the ball to rebound. The ball then began to separate into tiny silver particles and they rebounded against the cave walls. Numair ducked out of the way as they headed towards his foe. He felt as if the whole scene was taking place in slow motion. He watched as each tiny silver fragment impaled the Scanran mage against the sharp cave wall. Ragenhere scream a curse in Old Thak, a burgundy blaze darted towards Numair. Numair held up both hands, any curse in Old Thak he could handle, and the fire dropped into a puddle.

"It would be a pity to waste you're your hard work," Numair hissed, raising up the red sheet of the remains of Ragenhere's curse. He uttered a single word of the dead language and sent the sheet back to its originator, immersing the laughing mage into the cave wall, leaving a rocky outline of his anguished face imprinted there, ready to watch the next set of lovers who came to visit.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thank you to all those people who have reviewed, please continue. And if you haven't review please do so as I would like to know what you think!


	18. Chapter 17 Talking in your Sleep

**Esmerelda 01: **I'm sorry if you found it a little weird. The Red Mage was over confident and wanted to be hero in order to prove himself. Numair was always going to win (I won't kill him off), but in truth he should have beaten Osric easily, without sapping away all his strength. he was also too over confident and left himself wide open for an attack by a mage who was beeter than her thought. I hope that clarifies some things. Thank you for your review, I found it very funny!

**Silverlake: **Thank you.

**Sonnet Lacewing: **Thank you. I found the fight hard to write. I don't envy you doing the Inar Hadensra battle.

**Lela-of-Bast: **Thank you, as always. When's the next chappie of Tell Him up?

Chapter 17 – Talking in Your Sleep

Numair stepped shakily outside of the cave into the new morning sunlight. His sense of relief helped to keep him on his feet as he stumbled over to Spots who was grazing hungrily on a patch of grass. He pulled himself up onto his mount, cursing the draining of his gift and the deep gash to his back. Shape shifting, no sleep and a fight with an unknown, rather powerful mage had thoroughly exhausted him. Using an arval cahr curse disguised as a nalian ball had also taken some effort, but at least he hadn't turned him into a tree.

Spots trotted on, Numair grateful that he had such an even-tempered mount. In the distance he could make out a band of people on horseback and sensed Alanna's gift at least. No doubt he would be in for a lecture on dashing out without knowing what he was facing. He grinned to himself, predicting Jon's words. His daydream was short lived, however. Between him and his allies he noticed a group of a half-a-dozen dragon-like creatures, their tails the same as snakes, fire erupting from heavy jaws. Numair halted Spots. They were wyverns. He had read about them, but hadn't met them until now and naturally it was the day when he had used up enough of his gift to seriously weaken him. Alanna looked as if she was still too far away to be of any assistance and the wyverns were advancing towards him, fast.

He felt Spots nervously step backwards; he murmured words that he hoped would soothe his mount. The wyverns continued to close in on him. Drawing on the remainder of his gift he began to blast the immortals, sending sharp shards of black fire into their torsos. They winced, visibly in pain and began to retreat away from him. About to take a breathe of relief, Numair watched in horror as six more seemingly appeared from nowhere. He emptied the last bit of magic he possessed and threw it at the wyverns. Simultaneously, Alanna, Daine and those who could wield a bow shot, lynching the rest of the creatures. Numair looked at them, as if he was about to say something and heard in the distance a cry from Daine as he toppled off his horse onto the ground into a still, lifeless heap.

"Idiotic mage!" Alanna cursed, dismounting Darkmoon and rushing to Numair. Daine was already there, starting to move him into a more comfortable position, a look of deep concern etched across her face.

"Leave him, Daine," she heard Alanna say. "I think he's probably broken a couple of bones after that fall, and I need to check that that thick skull of his hasn't sustained any damage. He's also bleeding quite badly from a very bad cut on his back. I can heal that now and stop any more blood loss," Alanna began to check him over with her gift and started to weld fragment of his femur together. "We need to get him to Duke Baird straight away. He's totally drained himself. Whatever magic he's been playing with has sapped him of all his reserves. We need to have a closer look at him. Stupid man, going for those wyverns. He knows that archers will do as well with them as him. Jonathan is going to go insane."

Daine sat on the bed in the infirmary, watching Numair sleep deeply. So far he had not awoken since his fall and there was some worry about concussion. She sat close to him, her hand resting on his arm. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy from lack of sleep and an overemotional night.

Alanna had woken her just before dawn to help look for Numair, as she hadn't recognised the place Arvid had told of when she grilled him a second time. Strangely, Daine **had** known of it, and it's reputation, which had caused Alanna to raise her eyebrows.

"Since when has Numair been taking you to places like that?" The Lioness teased.

"We talked about it when we were looking at the different properties of quartz. I've flew over it a fair few times as well," Daine replied, blushing scarlet.

They had spotted Numair in the distance, almost falling off Spots even before the wyverns came. Once the dragon-cousins had arrived they had watched in astonishment as Numair had disabled them.

Daine gently ran her fingers through his raven hair. Alanna and Jon had left her and Kitten to keep vigil over him as he began to recover his strength in the infirmary. He wasn't expected to regain consciousness for a while yet, although he appeared to not have suffered any lasting damage. His bones had been healed thoroughly by Duke Baird and his colouring was beginning to change from the pale grey that had worried Daine immensely to his usual swarthy tone. He had suffered a bad cut on his back and they had had to help replace the lost blood, but that was now healing well. She half dozed as she sat there, the new day passing by her slowly, people milling about the ward quietly, performing their jobs going completely unnoticed by Daine. As time went on, she swung her legs up to rest on the bed and lay parallel with Numair. Someone pulled curtains round the bed to shield them from prying eyes and Daine felt herself relax. Numair's breathing had ceased to be awkward and he seemed to be now sleeping peacefully, although everyone would be more reassured when he had woken up and shown that the fall had not damaged him in anyway mentally.

Tiredness and exhaustion began to overcome the weary girl and she started to doze off into a soothing sleep, dreaming of streams and a whispering breeze that flew around the leaves of the trees. Daine saw Numair standing by the stream, his colour restored, fawn coloured breeches and a white shirt that was unbuttoned further than normal. She started to run towards him, but no matter how fast she ran, he still remained the same distance away from her, standing by the rippling stream underneath the same weeping willow, the summer sunlight blazing down on him. She couldn't hear him calling her, she wasn't even sure he was aware she was running to him, and frustration was now taking over her as she just didn't seem to be getting anywhere nearer. She found herself calling his name, asking him to help. He didn't seem to hear her at first, and then he started to walk to her, his long legs covering the ground between them easily, finally pulling her to him in one of the long, deep kisses which had permeated her dream since she had had unicorn fever. She felt his arms around her and the pulse of his heart, beating a rhythm like her own. She heard him call her name, over and over again, a little louder each time. She didn't understand why he was shouting her.

"Daine!" She opened her eyes.

"What?" She said, drowsily. "Why are you shouting me? I'm right here, we were by the stream…" she realised she was awake.

"You were talking in you sleep and I heard you call me and shout for help. I thought you were having a nightmare. Are you alright?" Numair still lay flat on the bed, one arm resting over hers.

Daine nodded. "Are you alright? Your head…"

Numair looked at her weakly, his eyes focusing on her making his heart pound hard inside his chest. "I'm tired and achy," he replied, smiling into her lovely face. "How mad is Jon?"

"I heard him briefly as I came in here. He was outside shouting at Alanna, swearing and calling you every name under the sun once he knew you weren't particularly damaged. What happened in the cave?" Daine said softly.

"I was caught out by someone I didn't think was going to be particularly powerful. I didn't think or plan out my theories enough. I was stupid, really."

Daine's eyes widened. It was rare for Numair to make an error, let alone admit to it.

"You should have left the wyverns. We were close. Draining away the rest of your strength wasn't necessary, we had you covered," he noticed that she was almost annoyed at him and found it quite endearing, especially as she was lying close to him. He raised his hand, ignoring the sharp jolt of pain and gently moved a tendril of hair away from her cheek.

At that moment, Kitten chose to wake up, nudging in between Daine and Numair as she had done before he had gone to find the mage who had ordered Kitten's capture. Daine laughed at her attempt to cram as much of herself as possible in the middle of them and caught Numair's eye. A shiver went down her spine at the shared intimacy between them, and she wondered why when Kitten had moved them a few inches apart that she felt closer to Numair than ever before.

Two days later the mage was allowed back to his own rooms to continue his recuperation. As was typical with Numair, once he began to get better he did it with speed, grumbling about not being able to get on his feet straight away and help Daine with the firegills that had attacked the stables overnight. They were particularly small, nasty creatures that looked like a small, flying fish, exhaling fire through gills on the side of heads. He had found that he enjoyed swatting them with his magic, it was therapeutic and calming and he was annoyed that he had not been able to assist Daine in their extermination. A silent Jonathan and Alanna came to visit him once he had returned to his rooms to find out what had gone on inside the cave. Jonathan remained silent throughout, a sign of how angry he was and Numair was now dreading the moment when he would be confronted by the king about his actions.

"What happened when you got to the cave?" Alanna asked him after a moment or two of pleasantries.

Numair recounted the tale, including the spell his had used that had cause the demise of Osric Ragenhere causing Alanna to take a deep inhalation of breath.

"You should have been out cold after that!" she exclaimed. The king still silent and sullen.

Numair shrugged. "I was foolish. I should have considered more before I went in about what I was going to do. I also shouldn't underestimate a foe. We have to consider the possibilities that Scanra may have more powerful, unheard of mages. Maybe it would be worth while to send a spy in and try to find out their strength in that area."

Jonathan nodded in agreement at this point, and left the room. Numair let his eyes drop to the floor. Jonathan was his friend as well as his king and he didn't like this atmosphere between them. He looked at Alanna, his thoughts visible on his face.

"He thinks you need to learn to control your temper," she said in calm tone.

"He's probably right. Although I had to go after him. As soon as I realised that a gagging spell had probably been used everything clicked. But I never for one second considered that the whole ploy with Kitten was purely to attempt to kill me," Numair sighed, partly ashamed.

"That crossed our minds after you'd left. There was no way an intelligent mage would use Arvid to take Kitten. That part stopped making sense. Who was behind this? Do you really think that Ragenhere knew you well enough to predict how you would react?" Alanna reasoned.

"I think he did know of me well enough, the real question is who taught him?" Numair gave Alanna a knowing look.

"Ozorne," Alanna answered, unnecessarily. "Kitten's connected to Daine and Daine is your weak spot. We discovered that in Carthak."

"I don't do her any good, really. Do I, Alanna?" He said rhetorically, in a rather mournful tone.

Alanna laughed. "You'd do her more harm if you stopped."

Numair half-smiled. "She had a nightmare that woke me up – when I was in the infirmary – she was shouting me to help her."

"You are her hero, Numair. Like George is mine."

"I don't think I deserve to be."

"Then that's your problem and I'm not discussing it anymore until you've come to your senses," Alanna said, tartly.

Numair laughed again. "Is Jon still mad?"

"I think 'mad' is an understatement. I'd rather chew both my arms off than be you at the moment. It's not the storming off after an unknown mage that's upset him, I think he appreciates that; you effectively dealt with something that no one else could. It's the wyverns. You shouldn't have thrown away the rest of your strength on something that archers could have dealt with as well as you. The fall you sustained could quite easily have killed you," Alanna said directly.

"I didn't realise just how close you were," Numair defended.

"Even if you had you would have still attacked them. You can't always be the hero. Let someone else have a turn sometimes. We need you to be alive, you're more useful that way," Alanna argued back. "You really need to go and sort this out with Jon. He needs to get it off his chest. He saw us bring you back when you were unconscious and I think he momentarily thought you were dead. It's shook him up and he needs to vent his anger at someone before he bursts or Thayet maims him."

Numair sighed. He stood up, a little weakly but there was too much defiance in his eyes for Alanna to even consider stopping him from going to see his friend and king.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please review! I need cheering up! New story starts on sunday. It's called A Stepping State, if anyone's interested.


	19. Chapter 18 Healing Hurricanes

_**Narm's Bones 44: **Good to know you like it!_

_**Kawaiigemini: **What job is it that makes you so happy in the mornings?_

_**Silverlake: **Thank you._

_**Sonnet Lacewing: **I love writing dream sequences.I did my first one when I was 14 and they've captivated me ever since. I like to place as many possible interpretations in one as possible to make the reader think. I've just written one for A Stepping State which I'm actually really pleased with. But you'll have to wait for that one!_

_**Lela-of-Bast: **Thank you, as always._

A/N: Consider it disclaimed.

Chapter 18 – Healing Hurricanes

Daine wandered passed the King's study in search of Thayet to pass on some information from Buri. A familiar voice greeted her ears. _Numair_! She realised and then it clicked what he was in the king's office for. Jonathan had said very little to anyone since the wyvern attack. He had looked sick with grief when he had first seen Numair carried into the infirmary, and Daine had figured that he also felt guilty. He was the king and he would believe that every casualty of war was somehow the fault of him; people followed his orders. But Daine knew that Numair would have gone after the red mage even if Jonathan had strictly forbidden it.

For a second she paused near the door, waiting to hear the king's first word to Numair. She needn't have stood so near to the study; Jonathan's bellow almost reached down to the kitchens it was so enormous in its volume. Daine felt herself freeze. She wasn't given to eavesdropping, considering it dishonest and unkind, but something willed her to listen. Footsteps from behind her signified that she wasn't the only one who wished to hear what Jonathan had to say. Daine turned round and found Thayet standing there, concern covering her face.

"He's been brooding over this for three days. If he says something truly ridiculous then I'm going to be a bad wife and encroach on his business. Numair is my friend too and I won't have him destroying a valuable friendship," Thayet murmured, putting a comforting hand on Daine's shoulder.

Jonathan's bellows roars remained on the subject of Numair's idiocy at attacking the wyverns, following the lines of what Alanna had previously said to the mage. Numair had obviously decided to remain silent and let Jon rave on uninterrupted. Finally, much to Thayet's relief, Jonathan quietened.

"Is there anything you'd like to say?" They heard his ask Numair.

"No, my lord. I admit I acted thoughtlessly and hastily. My actions were rather rash. I had not realised how close Daine and Alanna were and that they were near enough to handle the wyverns without me becoming involved. I appreciate that you keep me in reserve for such events that require a more specialised approach. I will refrain from trying to play the hero in future," Thayet smiled at Daine as Numair finished.

"Everyone needs a hero, Numair," Jonathan's voice had mellowed. "Particularly in a war. I need you and Daine to keep safe so you are there for me to call upon should the need arise. Please, rest for the remainder of today. There are more firegills reportedly attacking the growing crops just north of here – an hour or so ride. We need you there tomorrow. The locals are holding them off with water but they won't be able to do it for much longer." Jonathan sighed so loudly that Thayet and Daine both heard it outside.

Thayet edged towards the door, beckoning Daine. "Time to show ourselves!" She whispered, knocking on the thick, oak door. They entered to find Jonathan sat at the ancient desk, Numair stood with his back to the facing wall, looking quite sheepish and awkward. He smiled slightly at Daine as he saw her and she immediately went over to him, resisting the temptation to take hold of his hand to show her support.

"How are you, Daine?" Jonathan asked quite formally.

"I am quite well, your Majesty," she answered prettily.

"How is Kitten? Is she quite recovered from her ordeal?" He continued to question.

"She appears to be, although I think it will be as well if she is not separated from me for a bit. She's with Tkaa now, but it took some persuasion for her to let me out of her sight," Daine explained.

"That's understandable. Kalasin would have been just the same," the king agreed.

He then sighed, looking at both Daine and Numair. "I suggest you spend some time today regaining your strength. We need you north of here tomorrow. And after that I afraid there will be some other foe to face. Numair will explain the details to you, Daine." Daine smiled, Thayet catching her eye. They both knew the details already.

Daine and Numair left the king and queen of Tortall to themselves, exiting the room after Jon had given Numair a friendly handshake, the expression in his eyes letting his friend know that all was now well between them. They walked in comfortable silence to the nearest door to outside, Daine gently placing her hand in his when she was sure that they wouldn't be seen. They walked out into the same fields as they had been prior to the Beltane fires. Once they were out of sight Numair enveloped her in a consuming hug, squeezing the very breath out of her. She looked up at him and smiled, glad that he was well again.

"I'm glad everything's sorted out between you and Jon," she said.

"So am I, Magelet. I can understand why he was mad, though," Numair confessed. He let out a deep sigh. "I was arrogant and stupid with regards to Osric. I should have expected someone of Inar Hadensra's capabilities then I would have been fully prepared."

"Is he powerful?" Daine enquired.

"Extremely. He gave up an eye in order to receive more power. Instead of his eye he now has a ruby in the socket."

"Have you had much to do with him?" she asked.

"Not really. He went to the university in the City of the Gods, so I've only met him once or twice. It's unfortunate that he's on Scanra's side," Numair sat thoughtfully down next to a tree.

Daine left him to his thoughts for a while, studying his face and noticing the sign of lines around his mouth and eyes. There were also a few grey hairs scattered in his raven mane. He obviously hadn't yet noticed them else she imagined he would have dyed them. She debated telling him and decided not too. It would be more interesting seeing how long it would take him to realise.

She heard a lapwing calling to her with some news about his chicks and laughed out loud, wakening Numair from his thoughts and causing him to look at her curiously.

She smiled questioningly at him, wondering what he was thinking. He diverted his eyes and looked at the lush, green grass.

"I should go and get Kitten," she said, standing up from her rather comfortable position. "Do you want to come? I'm sure it won't tire you too much."

"Of course," Numair joined her standing up, feeling the warm sun caress his body. He liked the heat; it improved his levels of melatonin and helped to make the world seem right again. Although looking at Daine would often produce that effect too.

They walked back together in the peaceful silence that he had never really found with anyone else before. Daine was busy noticing all the animal activity around her, causing him to see it also. Sometimes it was like looking through a new pair of eyes.

She led the way to Tkaa's room, where Kitten would probably be, tapping softly on the door. Numair heard a sharp whistle and the door clicked open, seeing Kitten and Tkaa sat in front of a collection of stones. He noticed various agates, including dendritic, and heliotrope – the bloodstone. He raised his eyebrows at Tkaa to inquire what they were experimenting on.

"Kitten is able to change the appearance of certain stones by producing different pitches of trills," Tkaa answered his eyebrows. Numair looked at the young dragon, sitting there proudly. He went up to her and patted her gently, cooing words of praise.

"Thank you for looking after her, Tkaa, I'm sorry I was longer than I said," Daine said.

"I didn't notice. I enjoy spending time with my young cousin, and I think it's done her good to have you leave her for a short while and then see you return for her. It will rebuild her confidence," Tkaa responded in his wise way. Daine picked up the dragon and sat her on her knee. For a second Numair had a flash of what the future could hold. He let it drift quickly and continue to press Tkaa for more information on Kitten's latest trick.

Later that evening, after preparing for their trip tomorrow, Daine, Numair and Kitten wandered to the tops of one of the palace's towers to make the most of the clear skies that were over the capital. Daine sat down with kitten next to her. Numair lay on his back, gazing up at the stars, pointing out constellations that Daine would be sure he'd made up if he hadn't made her read a text book on it. They watched as a comet blasted into the earth atmosphere, a trail of light emitting from it.

"You should make a wish," he told her.

Daine laughed, the sound breaking the still silence of the night. "I wish that this was would soon be over and everyone would be well."

"You're not meant to wish out loud!" The mage complained. "It's meant to be a secret."

"You don't really believe in that, do you?" Daine giggled. "I've wished enough times on lots of things to know who my da is and I've never found out."

Numair shrugged, an odd sight to behold when the shrugger is lay on his back. "I've never had proof so I suppose I'm unconvinced…" He was interrupted by Kitten diving on his stomach, winding him and sending Daine into peels of laughter.

"Nice of you to find that so hilarious!" He stuttered, getting his breath back.

"I think she was trying to tell you that she wanted some attention," Daine said, laughter still tingeing her voice.

Numair smiled, flattered that Kitten wanted his attention as well as Daine's.

They were quiet for a moment, watching another comet enter the sky. Daine sighed. The vast expanse of sky and the knowledge that other planets existed made Daine fell small but not insignificant. She looked at the long mage next to her, caught his eye and smiled.

"Don't be getting into trouble again, now, Master Salmalin. I'd still like you to be here when all these immortals have gone," she said playfully.

Numair sat up, his finger pushing up her chin so she looked squarely at him.

"I've every intention of remaining here for a very long time yet, Mistress Sarrasri," he replied in a low voice that sent shivers up her spine. "But we would be helping ourselves if we retired to our chambers as we have need to be up early tomorrow."

Daine smiled, watching him stand up, holding Kitten to him. She had made a silent wish with the second comet, but that wish she was keeping to herself.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For the penultimate time, please review!


	20. Epilogue

**Lela-of-Bast: **I need a computer that understands me! And fixes my typos as I write. Now there's an idea of how to make some money... If only I had the brains for it...

**Narm's Britton 44: **Glad you liked it. It won't be too dissimilar to Sonnet's story as we're both sticking cannon and have some similar (and very different) ideas on somethings.

**Kawaiigemini**: Thank you. My job makes me feel like that too! In my next stort, A Stepping State, Daine's character does start to expand a little, for the reason that she had been through so much, is in love and is loved back, and she is getting older, but I hope these progressive changes seem believeable.

**Sonnet Lacewing: **I didn't think too much about the foreshadowing, in fact I can't remember writing that chapter at all - probably why there were so many typos! Thank you for your compliments!

Disclaimer: Its not mine. If it was, I wouldn't be going to work tomorrow.

**A/N: This is it, the last chapter! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, and please read A Stepping State, which will be up today!**

Epilogue

Dawn was almost on its way as Daine Sarrasri and Numair Salmalin approached the outskirts of Port Legann. They had ridden through the night after facing a band of flying monkeys, heeding a call from the king that their assistance was needed in Legann. Daine could see the weariness on Numair's face. He had refused on many occasions to sleep and let her keep a watch over them at night and the almost constant use of his gift had drained him. Daine longed for a chance for them to both recuperate, even for just a day of two. Just one evening when they could gaze up at the stars without watching for hurroks or stormwings. She longed for Numair's lengthy explanations about things that weren't particularly crucial and she wished dearly for a little time when they were free to sit and relax.

Gradually dawn began to break, its light shadowing the destruction done by the fighting over the past few weeks. Numair cloaked himself and Daine with his magic, hiding them from any foes that might be lurking as they rode through the city. He was concerned for Daine; they had continually fought in one area or another of Tortall since the thaws and they badly needed rest. He slipped a glance at the woman riding next to him and felt a reoccurrence of the emotions that he had named at Midwinter.

"Nearly there," he said, reassuringly. She nodded in response, her eyes focused on the ground in front of her.

"Daine?" he called. She turned to him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Numair, really. I'm just looking forward to be able to sit down and sleep in a real bed for once." He smiled at her, recognising the feeling.

Jonathan was there to meet them as they arrived at the fief. He greeted Numair with a firm handshake, illustrating that their friendship and standing was as it should be after a tense few days previously when the king had been furious with Numair for needlessly using his magic. "Numair, Daine, Tkaa and Kitten – welcome!" He called out to them. "Can you help us with these wyverns?"

Numair seemed to go slightly pale when Jon mentioned the wyverns with the remembrance of his last dealing with them. Daine caught his expression and smiled, Numair had started to think a lot more since then about how he was going to act in battle. It hadn't been Jon's thundering telling off that had worried him, but the fact that Jon had barely spoken to him, and he had thought that their friendship might be in jeopardy.

"Have the archers not had any effect?" Numair asked tentatively.

The king shook his head. "They've managed to injure them, and force them to move away, but we need something to keep them away for longer," Jonathan sighed, the effect of the war had taken its toll on him probably more than the rest of them. He was their king and ultimately carried all the responsibility.

Tkaa spoke up in his whispery voice. "Skysong maybe the best form of defence against the wyverns. They have to obey their dragon cousins if she gives them an order. It will be as well to take her the next time they attack."

Daine looked at him, slightly aghast. "But she's only a baby! She only three! Why will they do as she tells them? She's so young."

"Tkaa's right, Daine. If she hadn't been in the palace at the time of the last wyvern attack, there may have been less people made ill with the cough the wyverns cause with the fog they produce. They will have to obey Kitten," he looked at Daine, tenderness in his eyes as he saw her concern for her young charge. "You know I would never do anything to place her in any harm."

Daine smiled back at him, Jonathan watching the exchange with amusement. "I know, Numair," she sighed, looking at the dragonet who was only too pleased to help. "When the wyverns next arrive, Kitten and I will go," she conceded, picking Kitten up in her arms.

Jonathan led them into the fief, escorting them to their rooms that were adjacent to each other. Daine's room was smaller than Numair's, although it still contained a large bed, drawers and facilities so that she could have a bath. Numair's room had a larger bed, one that would almost fit him in without him having to crunch up his long frame. For a second Daine wondered what it would be like to share the bed with him, then quickly tried to change her thoughts as she felt a hot redness take over her cheeks. He had a bath chamber as well as another smaller room that Daine imagined would sometimes be used as a place to sleep a baby in its crib. He sat down on the bed, a deep sigh of comfort omitted from his lips. Jonathan had left them to organise food for them, as it would be some time before dinner was served.

"Make the most of tonight," Numair smiled at her as she sat down next to him. "I very much imagine that we will be sent elsewhere once Kitten's scared off these wyverns." He tousled some of her curls absent-mindedly. Daine felt herself quiver at his touch. Fighting the urge not to curls up in his arms, she turned to face him.

"What do you think we will do once this is all over?" she asked him.

"I have no doubt in saying that once this is over we will have a lot more things to do than we have now. There will be prisoner of war to deal with and intelligence work, which is where George and Myles will come into their own. After that, I will return to my books and you to what you do best. Don't be surprised, Daine, if you are asked to teach at the university at some point. Your knowledge is very powerful and I imagine Jon will want the trainees and pages to learn from it," Numair smiled, moving his long legs onto the bed and stretching out like a large cat.

"I'm not sure I would be able to do that," Daine said, rather worriedly.

"Why not?" Numair asked.

"Because I'm probably not clever enough, and I'm not sure that I could stand in front of all those people," she looked at Numair with big eyes.

He felt as if he was drowning in them, and wished he could. "You are certainly clever enough, Magelet. You do know that. And I think you would be brilliant at teaching others about animals and the immortals. You've taught archery, it wouldn't be _much_ different than that."

Daine smiled, "We'll see, we'll have to wait and find out what else the gods have in store for us first. But what will happen to _us_, will we still work together, will you still teach me?"

Numair felt his heart suddenly start to beat much harder in his chest. He fought the words he wished to say, knowing that now wasn't the right time.

"Jon will want to keep us working together, Magelet. And I don't want us to just become people who only pass each other in the halls," _I want you as a much bigger part of my life than that, _he thought to himself.

"Good, because I don't like the thought of not being with you," she smiled, her hand reaching out to touch his sending a spark of electricity through his body.

A sharp knock rapped at the door, and a maid appeared, armed with bowls of thick soup and crusty bread. She left the food on trays on the desk in Numair's room with instruction to leave the empty bowls outside their rooms when they had finished.

Once she had left, Daine gave an exasperated sigh. "The whole of Legann will have us canoodling now after she's seen us in your room together."

Numair laughed as he often did when any reference to him and Daine being more than teacher and student was made. The only time he had responded any differently was when Ozorne had made a rather unfortunate suggestion.

"They probably were before we got here, Daine. We shouldn't worry too much about what other people say, as long as we and our friends no the truth," he smiled as he said the words, although inside he was thinking that most of his friends knew a very different truth.

They ate their meals while recounting what they knew about wyverns and dragons, passing comments about all the things that Kitten had learnt. The late afternoon passed into evening and then the Legann evening slowly turned into night. Daine and Numair retired early, knowing that they would face more problems tomorrow and they had had a significant lack of sleep.

Curled up in her bed, comforted in the knowledge that Numair was just next-door, Daine's thoughts turned away from wyverns and into Numair. _Maybe_, she thought sleepily, _just maybe there will be a chance._

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And so it ends. Please review and tell me how it went, it was difficult to end as we all know how it continues. Give me any hints, please they all help!

A STEPPING STATE, which immediately follows on from RotG and looks at the beginnings of Daine and Numair's relationship and charts the aftermath of the war will be up today. PLEASE REVIEW!

**A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS REVIEWED! YOU MADE MY DAY!**


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